Health and wellbeing

West Finland has a holistic approach to health and wellbeing with a special focus on prevention. This includes technological solutions as well as nature, art and culture based services. Co-operation between public sector, businesses, education institutions and NGO’s is highlighted. National and international networks enable research and education in health and wellbeing.

Central Finland

Central Finland has co-operation between businesses, NGO’s and public sector. The region has a multidisciplinary approach to wellbeing research with a special focus on prevention. The first Finnish digital hospital and sports and wellbeing ecosystem, both located in Jyväskylä, are good examples on this. Keho network brings together regional actors in wellbeing, public health and rehabilitation. Finland’s only Faculty of Sports Sciences is located in Jyväskylä. The Regional Council of Central Finland and the City of Jyväskylä are part of European ECHAllience ecosystem network.

Satakunta

Satakunta combines wellbeing technology with automation, robotics, artificial intelligence and gamification. This has enabled new opportunities such as RoboAI as part of Future hospital innovation platform. Satakunta DigiHealth project develops a wellbeing technology ecosystem offering new digital solutions for companies in health care sector to plan, test and design their services. User based and easy-to-use technology is developed especially for elderly services and new solutions are piloted in Living Lab innovation platforms. IHMEC project utilizes Satakunta’s competence on indoor hygiene and accessibility.

South Ostrobothnia

In Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (SEAMK) future development of health technology include artificial intelligence, mobile health technology and robotics. SEAMK’s Telemedicine centre supports active and healthy living at home and offers testing environments for health sector. The region promotes cultural wellbeing by interregional network Taikusydän which develops art and cultural services in health and wellbeing and improves the accessibility of culture.

Ostrobothnia

In Ostrobothnia, education facilities, public sector, organizations and businesses form a strategic partnership network, Vaasa Welfare Technology Ecosystem. The network is a member of ECHAlliance. Research and development focus is on technological solutions supporting active, healthy aging, mental health, prevention and patience engagement. Vasa InnoCare project offers regional innovation environment for testing health robotics and virtual reality applications. Art and cultural services supporting health and wellbeing are developed in Taikusydän interregional network.