Healthcare World Editor Sarah Cartledge finds BeeHealthy’s digital platform can rapidly enhance healthcare provision
Digitisation in healthcare is regularly hailed for its potential to boost efficiency, enhance patient experiences, and drive down costs. However, studies using real patient data to evaluate these outcomes have been limited. Finnish company Mehiläinen’s wholly-owned subsidiary, BeeHealthy, has been involved in a recent study conducted as part of the Aalto Executive MBA programme, revealing that leveraging digital health platforms can bring real value to healthcare systems as well as increasing patient satisfaction.
BeeHealthy offers a cutting-edge patient engagement platform that is revolutionising social and healthcare service provision. As a modular, white-label SaaS solution, BeeHealthy equips providers with all the necessary tools to create modern, digital-physical healthcare services tailored to their brand. Backed by more than 110 years of healthcare experience and 20 years of in-house digital development, BeeHealthy is rapidly emerging as a leading digital healthcare solutions provider in the EMEA region, with an active presence in 10 countries.
The study focussed on data from Päijät-Sote, a Finnish public healthcare region that unites the southern Finland area of Päijät-Häme, organising social and healthcare for 200,000 Finns. Päijät-Sote is at the forefront of the digital transformation, utilising the BeeHealthy platform’s whole product suite to provide digital services to its residents. The study, evaluating user experience and cost-effectiveness in Päijät-Sote, has revealed a strong demand for digital healthcare services from patients.
Revolutionising patient engagement
The study shows a positive attitude towards digitisation. Patients appreciate digital tools that streamline their patient experience, eliminating the need for queuing. In a region where availability of care has been limited (like in most public healthcare systems), the efficient tools have enabled a dramatic improvement in availability of appointments. The platform’s Digital Clinic module, in particular, has been key in providing easy to access, highly efficient care through features including data-driven symptom checkers, e-prescriptions, and video consultations. This core module enables professionals to treat patients more effectively without compromising on quality. As a result, clinicians and service providers have expressed an increase in work efficiency and job satisfaction.
The study highlights that the use of BeeHealthy’s Digital Clinic module leads to savings of €68 per patient visit compared to traditional physical appointments. With widespread adoption of the platform and well-integrated self triage, this could translate into potential annual savings of €20 million for Päijät-Sote.
Teemu Mäkelä, CIO of Päijät-Sote and a member of the research team, emphasises that the transition to a digitally supported healthcare model requires strong leadership and collaboration among various skill sets. To strengthen cooperation between healthcare and digital development professionals, digital solutions should be designed to be as simple and flexible as possible and patients should be steered towards a digital-friendly mindset, making services faster and more accessible.
The study’s finding confirm that BeeHealthy’s platform is well-positioned to help Päijät-Sote meet the Finnish government’s target of handling 35 per cent of patient contacts digitally.
TRANSFORMING DUTCH HEALTHCARE
In February 2023, Dutch primary care organisation Gezond.nl, part of Arts en Zorg Group, adopted the BeeHealthy platform to enhance its healthcare services. Arts en Zorg Group, the largest general practitioner (GP) group in the Netherlands, offers healthcare to various patient groups, including military personnel and asylum seekers. Through the BeeHealthy platform, Gezond.nl has successfully established a hybrid care model that blends digital and physical care.
“The results of our first year of collaboration are excellent,” says Sanne van Duin, Director of Gezond. “The service has been adopted effortlessly, and 75 per cent of patient contacts are resolved online. The total number of contacts has not changed, only the form. This has led to a 40 per cent decrease in visits at the local practices. This result shows we are succeeding in our ambition to contribute to a more future-proof care model while maintaining quality of care.”
Leveraging the BeeHealthy platform, Gezond patients are treated in a timely manner in the channel best suited for them. The initial contact is made through the patient application, where care questions are directed to the centralised digital practice operated by online GP’s. With an average waiting time of just two minutes, patients can access healthcare professionals directly via the app. They can also view health data, including lab results and health records, along with lifestyle coaching. Equally, they can access in person appointments if needed or preferred, freeing up clinicians to spend more time on pressing cases.
The adoption of BeeHealthy’s digital platform has led to a significant shift towards online patient care, reducing physical appointments and improving overall service efficiency and patient satisfaction in Dutch GP practices. In addition, clinicians report more professional satisfaction as a result of the system, with the online GPs appreciating the flexibility of their work and the surgery GPs reporting better in person visits.
“We are impressed with the results Gezond.nl have achieved in their first year, which also validates the BeeHealthy platform’s value proposition in an excellent way,” says BeeHealthy CEO, Oskari Eskola. “We are looking forward to a long-term relationship going forward.”
Sharing experiences in clinical best practices and healthcare innovations across borders is proving to be key for BeeHealthy as it expands its presence globally. Now with real time studies proving that digitisation is beneficial for both patients and clinicians, there is a genuine opportunity to create value-based healthcare solutions.
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