Browsing by Author "Valtonen, Katri"

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  • Characteristics and Requirements of Business Process Improvement
    (2018-12-19) Valtonen, Katri
     Sähkötekniikan korkeakoulu | Bachelor's thesis
  • Towards virtual care operator in Finnish healthcare context – Identifying care disrup-tions and defining use cases in type 2 diabetes care
    (2022-03-21) Valtonen, Katri
     Perustieteiden korkeakoulu | Master's thesis
    The constantly increasing prevalence of chronic conditions is a global challenge. The healthcare delivery systems worldwide are struggling with organizing efficient and effective chronic care because the systems are not designed for the needs of the chronically ill. Phenomenon such as care fragmentation and care dis-continuity are common issues for patients with chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes. To answer these problems increased coordination and integration be-tween different service providers as well as higher level of personalization is needed. Different digital solutions are seen as key elements in enabling improved chronic care. The aim of this thesis is to study how care fragmentation, discontinuity and possible other care disruptions occur in type 2 diabetes care in Finland by utilizing a mixed methods approach. Information was collected through semi-structured interviews (N=8) with healthcare professionals and experts, and through a survey (N=54) distributed to patients with type 2 diabetes. Based on the findings key use cases for a virtual care operator in type 2 diabetes care were identified. In this study, four main challenges in type 2 diabetes care in Finland were identified: 1) unclear communication towards patient, 2) challenges in patient-caregiver relationship, 3) unclear responsibility on care continuity, and 4) challenges in supporting self-care and lifestyle changes. Based on these key findings, four use cases for the virtual care operator were proposed: digital care plan, digital channels for easy and low-threshold contacting, automated bookings for appointments, and digital tools to support lifestyle changes and diabetes self-care.