RDI Growth Programme for Health and Wellbeing 

The aim of the RDI Growth Programme for Health and Wellbeing is to support the wellbeing services counties in renewing themselves in order for them to better promote people’s health and wellbeing and improve the quality and availability of services. The programme brings together wellbeing services counties, businesses and researchers so that they can together develop and make use of the best practices and the latest technology in the field. At the same time, the programme boosts Finland’s position as a frontrunner in cutting-edge technology in the health and wellbeing sector.

The health and wellbeing sector is growing fast around the world. The development focus areas include, in particular, the digitalisation of healthcare systems, the data economy and personalised forms of treatment. The sector has significant economic potential, but international competition is fierce. For this reason, the key aim of the programme is to make Finland an internationally known and attractive destination for research, development, innovation and investments in the health and wellbeing sector. The programme also supports the internalisation of Finnish businesses in the health sector so that they can expand their operations and boost their competitiveness in the global market

In addition, the programme aims to respond to the global challenges facing the health and wellbeing sector, such as the availability, effectiveness and cost-efficiency of services and the sufficiency of personnel.

The programme is part of the Government Programme.

Programme improves the productivity of the health and wellbeing sector

The key programme measures are:

• intensifying RDI cooperation between wellbeing services counties, businesses, higher education institutions, research institutions and start-ups
• marketing Finnish expertise, technology and research globally
• making the sector more competitive in the international market
• strengthening the role of the wellbeing services counties in RDI activities and promoting the adoption of new solutions
• updating the programme measures flexibly because the operating environment is changing rapidly and technological development is progressing at an accelerating pace.

 

• Main themes and measures of the RDI Growth Programme for Health and Wellbeing (in Finnish)

New national operating model to clarify innovation cooperation between wellbeing services counties and businesses

The RDI Growth Programme for Health and Wellbeing has prepared a national operating model and a set of indicators to promote innovation cooperation between wellbeing services counties and businesses. The aim is to harmonise practices for cooperation, boost growth in the health and wellbeing sector and increase research, development and innovation activities and investments in Finland.

The indicators will enable the wellbeing services counties to monitor the quality and impacts of cooperation with businesses in a comparable manner.

The model will support cooperation throughout the whole process – from identifying needs to developing, testing and adopting solutions. It will not replace the counties’ own operating practices but support their further development.

The model consists of the following six phases:

1. identifying the need 
2. developing solutions together 
3. agreeing on cooperation 
4. testing the solution in practice 
5. assessing the impacts 
6. deciding on adoption or expansion. 

The aim is to ensure that solutions developed through cooperation can also be adopted in other counties more quickly than at present.  At the same time, businesses will get a clearer picture of the opportunities that cooperation with counties offers.

The counties, the collaborative areas for healthcare and social welfare, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the RDI Growth Programme for Health and Wellbeing will be jointly responsible for the adoption of the model. The model will be updated as necessary as the operating environment and cooperation develop. 

Cooperation with partners, such as businesses, is important

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for coordinating the packages and measures under the programme. The programme is a continuation of the Health Sector Growth Strategy for Research and Innovation Activities published in 2014 and implemented by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

The programme is promoted jointly by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Each Ministry has their own set of measures to achieve the objectives set out in the Government Programme.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the following measures under the programme:

1. strengthening the RDI activities of the wellbeing services counties 
2. clarifying the legislation on research and development activities in the healthcare and social welfare sector 
3. establishing the activities of national competence clusters 
4. improving opportunities for the commercialisation of digital solutions
5. piloting a reimbursement model for digital treatments
6. increasing cooperation with international partners.

The following partners are also involved in the programme: national and international businesses, the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, the Research Council of Finland, Business Finland, the wellbeing services counties and higher education institutions.

The programme is officially entitled the Research, Development and Innovation Programme to Boost Growth and Renewal in the Health and Wellbeing Sector.