Research

Scientific contributions to digital health

This section showcases Dr. Guido Giunti’s scientific contributions to digital health, focusing on topics such as gamification, AI in healthcare, and patient-centered design.

Service Personalization in Finnish Healthcare: Insights from IT-Supported Practices

This study examined how healthcare professionals in Finnish primary care incorporate service personalization in their practices, focusing on the role of information technology (IT). By analyzing interviews with healthcare professionals, we identified three types of personalization: coercive personalization, data display personalization, and collaboration-based personalization. These insights reveal how IT supports individualized care and inform future design of healthcare IT systems. ...

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Mapping the Pediatric Growth Hormone Deficiency Patient Journey

We developed a detailed patient journey map for pediatric growth hormone deficiency (PGHD), a chronic condition requiring long-term hormone therapy. Drawing on interviews and focus groups with 62 patients and caregivers across Europe, we identified six key stages of the journey: awareness, diagnosis, treatment planning, initiation, maintenance, and transition. This map highlights emotional challenges and treatment barriers, offering insights into...

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Designing Digital Health Solutions During Pandemics: A Multidisciplinary Workshop

We developed a workshop aimed at exploring the unique challenges and opportunities in designing digital health and wellbeing technologies during pandemics. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the workshop introduces participants to a pandemic-stage matrix and fosters discussions on adapting design methods to rapidly changing societal needs. The initiative emphasizes the importance of user-centered design while navigating constraints like restricted user interaction...

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The Role of Informal Carers in Digital Health Research for Multiple Sclerosis: A Scoping Review

We conducted a scoping review to investigate the role of informal carers of people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) in digital health research. Out of 14 included studies, most focused on telemedicine, online education, or telerehabilitation, with varying degrees of involvement of family and friends (F&F). The findings indicate that while digital health can support carers and enhance their ability to...

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Protocol for Evaluating the Usability of a Digital Care Path for Kidney Donors

We present a protocol for a prospective cross-sectional study to assess the usability and acceptability of the Digital Care Path for Living Kidney Donor Candidates, part of Finland’s Health Village portal. The study aims to gather feedback from living kidney donor candidates regarding the system's functionality, ease of use, and potential to enhance the donation process. The protocol outlines methods...

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Exploring Customer Attitudes in the Digital Transformation of Finnish Insurance

We analyzed customer attitudes towards participation, organizational values, and health data sharing within the context of a Finnish insurance organization undergoing digital transformation. Based on a survey of 452 customers, we found a significant willingness to engage in service development, but low awareness of the company’s digital strategy. Additionally, while trust in the organization was high, attitudes toward sharing health...

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Reimagining Doctoral Education: Broadening Skills for Employability

The CHAMELEONS project (Championing a Multi-sectoral Education and Learning Experience to Open New pathways for doctoral Students) aims to redesign doctoral education to improve employability in academic and non-academic settings. By co-designing modules with stakeholders from academia, industry, and patient organizations, the project developed interdisciplinary and intersectoral curricula that focus on networking, user-centered research design, and career planning. These modules...

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Empowering Adolescents with Diabetes Through Gamified Platforms

We proposed and developed a gamified digital platform to support adolescents with diabetes mellitus in managing their condition. By integrating gamification techniques such as point systems, achievements, and social support features, the platform aims to improve patient engagement and adherence to treatment plans. The platform also includes telemonitoring and education tools to enhance self-management and foster healthier lifestyles among young...

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Smart Home Applications: Supporting Cognitive Health in Aging Populations

We investigated how smart home applications (SMAs) can support cognitive health for older adults. These technologies, combining sensors, automation, and digital interfaces, help monitor cognitive and physical conditions, provide cognitive training, and facilitate social connections. By focusing on usability, accessibility, and user-centric design, SMAs have the potential to improve independence and quality of life for older individuals. (more…)

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Leveraging Patient-Generated Data for Better MS Care

We explored how healthcare professionals (HCPs) perceive and utilize patient-generated health data (PGHD) from mobile health (mHealth) solutions in managing multiple sclerosis (MS). Through interviews and participatory workshops, we found that HCPs valued subjective data, such as patient habits, lifestyles, and fatigue-inducing activities, but faced challenges in making this data actionable. These findings highlight the potential of mHealth in fostering...

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