HUS as a promoter of health and wellbeing

Approximately 4,000 people die each year from smoking-related diseases in Finland. Smoking costs society around EUR 1.5 billion annually. Supporting non-smoking is a cost-effective activity. The positive effects of cessation of smoking will already begin in the first 24 hours. Non-smoking facilitates the treatment of many diseases, supports healing, and reduces complications related to procedures.

Theme content in the Good Spiral project:

• Support for mobilization of the Current Care Guideline on Tobacco and nicotine dependency, prevention and treatment, for example, in the following contents:
  • Expectant mothers and families
  • Adolescents
  • Mental health rehabilitees
  • Surgical patients 
• Support for the detoxification expertise of healthcare personnel 
• Implementation of the Tobacco-free Finland 2030, Implementation of the Smoke-free Hospital and Smoke-free Campus programs

Network

A network including professionals and experts from primary health care, specialist medical care, and the third-sector promotes intraprofessional and multidisciplinary cooperation to support weaning off from tobacco. Our activities include various development workshops, training sessions, and seminars. We use Microsoft Teams as the working platform.

Contact person: Katrimaija Luurila

Strengthening inclusion prevents costs incurred by exclusion from society. A citizen who does not advance beyond elementary school to acquire an education incurs an estimated cost of EUR 370,000 to society.

Priorities in strengthening inclusion:

• Wellbeing of children, adolescents, and families
• Health care services for the long-term unemployed
• Treatment of functional disorders
• Chronic Disease Self-Management Program "Arkeen Voimaa" (Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities)
• Gamification and playfulness in adult social work (Socca – The Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area)

Networks

The network for the wellbeing of children, adolescents and families is considering using the lessons of the Finnish model to promote wellbeing in Uusimaa.

Contact person: Paula Häkkänen

The network of services for the long-term unemployed reflects on various services for the unemployed.  The network consists of professionals in social welfare, health care, and employment services.

Contact person: Helena Liira

The network of expertise in functional disorders is connected to the outpatient clinic for functional disorders that started operations in HUS. Functional disorders can cause disability and incapacity, and even exclusion. We meet in Microsoft Teams on the last Wednesday of each month.

Contact person: Helena Liira

Our activities include various development workshops, training sessions, and seminars. We use Microsoft Teams as the working platform.

If health inequalities were eliminated, the savings in direct health care costs would be around EUR 1.5–2 billion or 15% of total health care expenditure.

• Obesity prevention and treatment
  • Digital treatment pathways in the treatment of obesity
  • Regional care pathway for children and adolescents
• StopDia operating model (THL)
• Tulppa rehabilitation for Uusimaa (Finnish Heart Association)

Network

The obesity prevention and treatment network consists of professionals and experts in primary health care, specialist medical care, the third sector, and other actors. The aim of the network is to introduce a renewed Current Care Guideline for obesity in 2020 and to develop common approaches to the treatment of obesity. Our activities include various development workshops, training sessions, and seminars. We use Microsoft Teams as the working platform.

Contact person: Paula Häkkänen

Falls are the most common accident – close to 400,000 accidents by falling occur in Finland every year. 1,200 people die each year as a result of a fall.

Most of them are over 75 years old and the accident occurs at home. The cost of accidents by falling are estimated to be approximately EUR 2 billion annually, of which EUR 500 million are direct health care costs.

The Good Spiral network shares good practices and know-how, for example, on topics such as:

• Balance and muscle function exercises and maintenance of functional capacity
• Suitable medication and appropriate treatment of illnesses
• Safe environment and suitable assistive equipment
• Good nutrition

Network

The network for prevention of falls strengthens the competence of experts in primary health care, specialist medical care, and third sector health organizations and the sharing of best practices in preventing patient falls. Our activities include various development workshops, training sessions, and seminars. We use Microsoft Teams as the working platform.

Contact person: Terhi Lemetti