Person-centred approach in developing digital health: a case study of a client organization. A thematic analysis
Kämäräinen, Pauliina (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025060621232
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025060621232
Tiivistelmä
A person-centered approach is valued at both international and national levels as an approach that can support individuals in taking responsibility for their own health. It promotes healthcare systems and professionals to ensure individualized care and practices to take place. Health care is also continuously increasing digitalization, for example in Finland it has been established as a foundation of the healthcare. One aspect and aim of digitalization is to provide means and solutions to empower people to maintain their own health and wellbeing and it requires a multi stakeholder approach.
The purpose of this thesis is to explore the role of person-centred approach in the client organization’s operations in digital health development. The aim is to study how person-centric approach is realized in the client organization. The objective is to study how person-centred approach is realized in a client organization, that is heavily involved in digital health services and development, and to also find whether there are any challenges that could be addressed in the future when developing digital health in the client organization’s operations when developing digital health.
This research takes a qualitative approach. Semi-structured group interviews were carried out in February-March 2025 with 13 volunteers. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted. Five themes were identified. The results show that person-centred approaches are realized in various ways. There is an understanding that person-centred approach encompasses more than just the patients and emphasizes the importance of supporting health care professionals in utilizing digital health in patient care. In person-centredness the patient is the central actor, and this was mostly recognized in the company’s operations. Understanding digital health solutions’ users’ needs was also considered to be a central focus when developing person-centred digital health, while there were also challenges in implementing it. There was also emphasis on recognizing the need to implement digital health solutions that are accessible, easy to use and safe. Company’s internal cultural factors also contributed to the supporting and hindering factors in realization of person-centred approach.
In conclusion person-centred approach is realized in various aspects in the company’s operations, but there are also challenges. Recommendations for future development encompass education to person-centred approach and developing person-centred culture as a whole to improve collaboration and co-operation within the company but also with the other stakeholders.
The purpose of this thesis is to explore the role of person-centred approach in the client organization’s operations in digital health development. The aim is to study how person-centric approach is realized in the client organization. The objective is to study how person-centred approach is realized in a client organization, that is heavily involved in digital health services and development, and to also find whether there are any challenges that could be addressed in the future when developing digital health in the client organization’s operations when developing digital health.
This research takes a qualitative approach. Semi-structured group interviews were carried out in February-March 2025 with 13 volunteers. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted. Five themes were identified. The results show that person-centred approaches are realized in various ways. There is an understanding that person-centred approach encompasses more than just the patients and emphasizes the importance of supporting health care professionals in utilizing digital health in patient care. In person-centredness the patient is the central actor, and this was mostly recognized in the company’s operations. Understanding digital health solutions’ users’ needs was also considered to be a central focus when developing person-centred digital health, while there were also challenges in implementing it. There was also emphasis on recognizing the need to implement digital health solutions that are accessible, easy to use and safe. Company’s internal cultural factors also contributed to the supporting and hindering factors in realization of person-centred approach.
In conclusion person-centred approach is realized in various aspects in the company’s operations, but there are also challenges. Recommendations for future development encompass education to person-centred approach and developing person-centred culture as a whole to improve collaboration and co-operation within the company but also with the other stakeholders.