In 2021, we introduced the digital FINENTRY service to provide guidance for persons entering Finland during the coronavirus pandemic and to streamline COVID testing. The service was designed with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and with the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. The technical implementation was handled by HUS IT Management.
The service went online at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport on January 7, 2021. Initially deployed in Uusimaa and Southeast Finland, it was soon expanded to other hospital districts too. During 2021, 19 hospital districts – i.e. almost the entire country – adopted FINENTRY. We coordinated the regional deployment projects and provided operational and technical support. We also engaged in broad-based cooperative communications with ministries, transport operators and tourism operators.
Customized services for entrants and professionals
The service package was developed based on entry instructions of the Finnish authorities and on user needs. We have collected feedback from the professionals using the service, from entrants, from the steering group and from funding providers.
We enhanced the accessibility of the FINENTRY.fi info website by increasing the number of language versions on the website to 13. During 2021, the website logged nearly 1.4 million visitors. Persons entering the country are referred from the info website to the FINENTRY service, where they receive customized instructions and, if necessary, are directed to a COVID test. In 2021, the service had more than 800,000 individual users, of whom more than 600,000 booked a COVID test appointment.
In June 2021, we added the user account facility, which makes it easier for persons entering the country to find their appointment and test data and streamlines operations at border crossing points.
We also developed FINENTRY services for professionals. The FINENTRY PRO website features training, guidelines and easily usable materials for professionals in the tourism industry and in the health care sector and for other stakeholders. The FINENTRY EXPERT service was developed for professionals stationed at the border and in advisory services, while a monitoring interface was provided for contact tracing professionals. Development of the service is ongoing, as required by the coronavirus pandemic and according to instructions issued by the Finnish authorities.