Kela in Hospitals
The aim of this study is to determine how the partnership development between Kela and specialised medical care and creating new operating models affect these organisations’ rehabilitation processes and the clients’ rehabilitation paths.
The purpose of the study is to produce information for the development of rehabilitation cooperation between Kela and specialised medical care. The produced information helps with understanding the significance of new operating models and partnerships in identifying rehabilitation needs, referring to clients to rehabilitation, and ensuring a smooth rehabilitation path for the client. This way, cooperation procedures can be modified as needed, and it is possible to ensure an optimal and timely rehabilitation process for the client.
The study analyses the cooperation between Kela and specialised medical care at the beginning of the project. Furthermore, the analysis focuses on Kela’s project employees’ and specialised medical care experts’ experiences and views on the partnership and the client processes at the beginning and towards the end of the project. We also analyse rehabilitation data collected from Kela’s benefit register.
Researchers
- Sari Miettinen, Leading Researcher
- Sonja Tuomisto
Project Implementation Period
1.9.2021–31.3.2023. The project has ended.
Project Results
This study examined the development of cooperation between Kela and specialised medical care providers in the context of the Kela in Hospitals development project. The study produced data on a new kind of cooperation between different specialised medical care units that was implemented during the project. The data encompassed project-related documentation, survey and interview data collected from Kela specialists and specialised medical care experts, and data on rehabilitation extracted from Kela’s registers.
The results of the survey showed that the most positive development occurred in Kela-provided training aimed at specialised medical care experts. Positive developments were also observed in other themes related to the flow of information. Respondents considered information transfer and personal contact with a Kela specialist as the most important forms of cooperation.
Based on the interviews, the project was perceived to have improved the flow of information and facilitated contact between Kela and specialised medical care providers. Rehabilitation processes became smoother and project cooperation facilitated the easier navigation of complex cases. The project also improved customers’ ability to actively participate in and contribute to their own rehabilitation compared to before. Trust in Kela increased among clients and specialised medical care experts. The key challenges in cooperation included electronic channels for data transmission and their diversity.
The results of the study show that the cooperation implemented during the Kela in Hospitals project was, in many respects, very useful for all parties involved in the cooperation.
Publications
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Blog Entries
- Varhainen yhteistyö kuntoutusasioissa Kelan ja erikoissairaanhoidon välillä hyödyttää kaikkia osapuolia. Blogikirjoitus 22.6.2023, Kelan tutkimusblogi.
- Miettinen S. & Tuomisto S. Tutkimuksen avulla tietoa Kelan ja erikoissairaanhoidon yhteistyön kehittämiseksi. Blogikirjoitus 19.1.2022, Menossa Kelassa -blogi (Kelan sisäinen blogi).
Miettinen S. & Tuomisto S. Saadaanko vihdoin uutta potkua kuntoutusyhteistyöhön? Blogikirjoitus 19.10.2022, Kelan tutkimusblogi.
Mikkola S. & Tuomisto S. Kela kumppanina erikoissairaanhoidossa. Blogikirjoitus 28.10.2022, Oivalluksia kuntoutuksesta – valtakunnallisen OsKu-verkoston blogi.
