Digital Services in the Welfare, Social and Health Sector Organizations of the South Ostrobothnia Region

Abstract

AbstractDigital services in healthcare and social services have increased due to national promotion and Covid19 pandemic. However, the regional differences may exist. Successful implementation and sustainability of digital services requires that attention is paid to addressing barriers and supporting facilitators at all levels in health care provision.The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of employee status, form of organization and organizational size on the views related to current state and the role of digital services, development barriers, development plans and the support needed for development in welfare, social and health service organizations operating in the South Ostrobothnia region. The study was carried out in the era of exceptional circumstances created by the Covid19 pandemic in the summer of 2021. The study was a quantitative cross-sectional study using an electronic survey. Respondents (n = 121) were managers, entrepreneurs and employees of welfare, social and health service organizations operating in the South Ostrobothnia region.The results suggested that in more than four out of five welfare, social and health service organizations operating in the region of South Ostrobothnia, part of the services were already digital in the summer of 2021. These services had been extensively developed during the previous year, which was lived in exceptional circumstances caused by the Covid19 pandemic. Digital services were seen to function especially as enablers of customers in exceptional circumstances. However, managers or entrepreneurs also saw digital services as reaching new customers more important than employees. The acquisition of technology and human resources were felt to be the most significant barriers in the development of digital services, regardless of the employee status, form of organization and organization size. Regarding the use and development of digital services, information was felt to be necessary, especially about the characteristics of digital services, and financial support was also felt to be necessary for the development. However, the support needs were significant in many aspects related to digital service development. In particular, large organizations needed information on the cost-effectiveness of digital services.The results can be used to support welfare, social and health service organizations in digital service development.