Open platform based clinical decision support : the possibilities of openEHR technology as part of health information systems renewal in Finland

Abstract

Finland's health and social services are under significant pressure for change, and digitalization has been emphasized in closing the sustainability gap. Challenges have been identified in health information systems and their development that are hampering change. The development of decision support systems has been identified as one of the most important future trends and possible solutions to the identified problems. There is a need to find out how the principle of an open platform and openEHR technology could help develop information management and decision support systems in Finland.

The need was addressed through qualitative research using the Grounded Theory analysis method. Thematic interviews and a qualitative survey were used as data collection methods. The data collection was carried out using two different data collection methods and targeted two different target groups to implement two-level triangulation.

Through the study, it was possible to understand what open platform-based clinical decision support means and how openEHR is related to it, and the reform of health information systems in Finland. Decision support systems can be implemented in stages in an open platform, involving professionals in development and leveraging extensive knowledge capital in a vendor and technology-neutral environment. The utilization of openEHR technology would enable the implementation of a multi-level modeling environment and the development of data persistence at the national level. However, the application of openEHR in the Finnish information management environment is not entirely problem-free. Further research would be needed in the practical application of the technology, for example, through a pilot project and its positioning to Finland's current information management guidance.