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Pirkko – Finland’s first psychiatric resource management system

Meet Pirkko –  a cloud-based service that combines science, health economics and the practical experience of psychiatrists

Mental health patients in Finland don’t always receive treatment and, if they do, the treatment sometimes continues for a long time. It has been suggested that there aren’t enough mental health resources in Finland, but the problem isn’t a lack of provision, it’s that fact that those that do exist are being misused.

My view is based on the facts. I have worked in the field for a long time, and, before I set up my own company, I was head of psychiatric services at Attendo for seven years. I am also writing a doctoral thesis on health economics at the moment.

I believe that if Finland’s mental health, substance abuse and family services are to be reformed, the resources they provide need be used more efficiently. More importantly, people’s health will benefit.

I founded Solutos Oy in 2012 because I was keen to reform how mental health services are provided and I have been joined by professor of psychiatry Jyrki Korkeila and senior psychiatrist Veijo Nevalainen.

To enable this reform to take place, we have developed a family-based care optimizer called Pirkko, which is based on the latest research data and care recommendations. It is a cloud-based service that combines scientific knowledge in health economics with the practical experience of psychiatrists.

Pirkko is Finland’s first psychiatric resource management system

The system brings together operational management and grass-roots work and has been developed using my considerable expertise in production economy and plant management. Pirkko integrates smoothly into existing healthcare information systems and addresses their worst deficiencies, by plugging vital gaps. It is flexible and can be used to reform the entire psycho-social services field.

Pirkko is a tool for change

In practice, Pirkko directs therapy more intensively from the very start of the treatment process and this means that new patients can benefit from faster improvements in their mental health.

Pirkko generates savings

It may sound unbelievable, but I believe that when Pirkko is combined with firm clinical management, service visits can be reduced by as much as 30 percent and the effectiveness of the treatment can be improved. My argument is based on the fact that the resources that are released by using Pirkko can be channeled into training and that this results in treatments that are more effective and versatile. This starts a positive chain reaction!

Pirkko forms a bridge between organisations using different information systems and allows cross-sectoral cooperation. This means that overall management becomes more efficient, broad-based networks operate in a more transparent way and work is distributed more evenly among employees.

In short, our innovative treatment tool radically improves the effectiveness of mental health work.
Pirkko is already used by the Central Ostrobothnia Social and Health Services (Soite) and I am pleased to report that it is also being introduced into another hospital district in the coming months.

Evaluating patients and the work of psychiatrists

The psychiatric specialists who work for us are also focusing on mental health reform by working as locum doctors in traditional health centres or remotely via video connections.

Remote working is also used successfully in our novel evaluation service that we have been busy developing since we established Solutos. In practical terms, it means that our psychiatrists evaluate patients’ treatment plans and provide suggestions for optimal treatment. This is an important part of our efforts to reform the way that clinical services are provided.

Our clients now include most of the hospital districts in Finland and our ongoing success means that we are constantly recruiting. We need around 10 new psychiatrists at any one time and our flexible approach means that working for us is an attractive option. Doctors also like working for us because we look after them so well.

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The blog is written by Kalle Horjamo,
Executive Vice President of Solutos Oy

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