RDI Growth Programme for Health and Wellbeing
The aim of the RDI Growth Programme for Health and Wellbeing is to support 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 strengthens Finland’s position as a frontrunner of 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 individual 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
The programme also 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 strengthens the productivity of the health and wellbeing sector
The key measures of the programme are:
- strengthening 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 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.
Key themes for boosting growth in the health and wellbeing sector
Objectives, guidance and incentives
Ensuring that the objectives, guidance and incentives of RDI activities support competence, growth, renewal and effectiveness in the health and wellbeing sector.
Export and commercialisation
Conceptualising Finland as a leading country in RDI activities, identifying the focus areas of expertise and export, promoting the scalability and market access of solutions and boosting international investments.
Structures and procedures
Reforming structures and procedures so that infrastructures, research, data, digitalisation, technology and artificial intelligence are utilised widely in RDI activities and in society at large.
Cooperation and culture of experimentation
Making it possible that national and international multi-actor ecosystems and cooperation networks together with a culture of bold experimentation support competence, growth and renewal.
Sector’s ability to attract and retain employees
Ensuring the Finnish health and wellbeing sector’s ability to attract and retain RDI experts to enable the sector to grow, internationalise and develop skills and competence.
Cooperation with 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 follow-up to 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 for achieving the objectives set out in the Government Programme.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the following measures under the programme:
- strengthening the RDI activities of the wellbeing services counties
- clarifying legislation on research and development activities in the healthcare and social welfare sector
- establishing the activities of national competence clusters
- improving opportunities for the commercialisation of digital solutions
- piloting a reimbursement model for digital forms of treatment
- 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, wellbeing services counties and higher education institutions.
The programme is officially titled the Research, Development and Innovation Programme to Boost Growth and Renewal in the Health and Wellbeing Sector.