10.02.2025

CleverHealth Network Seeks New Project Ideas

The CleverHealth Network ecosystem is expanding its focus from development projects based on clinical needs to addressing broader healthcare challenges. Recently, in collaboration with Business Finland's Health 360 Finland program, we organized a workshop to discuss development needs and brainstorm new co-innovation projects with approximately 60 participants. The workshop focused on three themes: Utilization of Data and Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Sustainable Development.

Since its establishment in 2017, the CleverHealth Network ecosystem has concentrated on developing solutions for clearly identified clinical challenges by utilizing the diverse health data from HUS's data lake. This work, conducted together by HUS clinicians and a wide range of companies, has produced significant results. Concrete solutions supporting clinical decision-making have been developed and are being put into practice, including algorithms for identifying brain hemorrhages, early diagnosis of rare diseases, treatment of acute leukemia, home dialysis and remote monitoring of gestational diabetes. Now, the ecosystem aims to expand its focus to other areas as well.

"Over the years we have created, and proven in practice, systematic procedures from ideation to project implementation and commercialization of results," explains Virpi Rauta, who is responsible for coordinating the ecosystem at HUS. "We now want to look at the healthcare sector a bit more broadly and contribute to solving identified critical challenges. The focus remains on the versatile use of data and genuine collaboration with companies and research institutions," she continues.

Following the presentations by CleverHealth Network and Business Finland's Health 360 Finland program, we moved to the workshop section, where active discussions took place around the three main themes.

In the Data/AI session (Mikko Kytö, HUS & Juho Vuononvirta, Spinverse), the discussion revolved around utilizing data and artificial intelligence to meet the needs of HUS and healthcare more widely. The goal was to find co-innovation project ideas related to clinical needs, decision-making, and forecasting.

In the Robotics workshop (Virpi Rauta, HUS & Markku Heino, Spinverse), participants considered new innovative ways to utilize and develop robotics for hospital and broader healthcare needs. The discussion assessed the potential of robotics to add significant value in areas such as logistics, cleaning, patient care, remote care, and rehabilitation, not forgetting specific surgical robots.

In the Sustainable Development session (Jani Valkama & Suzan Ikävalko, HUS), participants considered solutions for ecologically sustainable development in healthcare. The aim was to find project ideas that promote cost-effective low-carbon operations, energy and resource efficiency, or circular economy perspectives in patient care or support service processes.

"Business Finland has supported CleverHealth Network ecosystem from the beginning and its co-innovation projects, some of which have progressed to the commercialization stage. The Health 360 Finland program accelerates the adoption of digital health innovations and creates global business opportunities, focusing on R&D projects with high potential, cross-sectoral collaboration, ecosystem development and business growth. The co-innovation workshop with CleverHealth Network once again confirmed the value of joint development," says Tarja Enala, Director of Business Finland's Health 360 Finland program.

The main goal of the event was exchange of fresh ideas among the diverse group of participants. Some project ideas began to take shape, but naturally, their preparation requires further work.

If you have new ideas related to these themes, please contact directly: mikko.kyto(at)hus.fi, juho.vuononvirta(at)spinverse.com, or the session leaders (names in parentheses above).