Public health service and health sector companies took a significant step forwards towards cooperation when Oulu University Hospital (OYS) opened today, 20 October 2015, a new test laboratory in Oulu, Finland. Thus, with the opening of the laboratory in Kontinkangas Campus in Oulu, a new world-class test environment for health development emerged.
“OYS TestLab is a test environment where companies and social welfare and healthcare providers test and develop their ideas and products in authentic hospital environment with true users”, says Hannu Leskinen, Executive Director of the Oulu University Hospital.
“Our goal is to speed up the implementation of innovations, promote their commercialisation and boost Finnish health sector companies’ export. OYS shall use the TestLab also for the development of their processes and modelling their future building projects.”
OYS TestLab is a part of the OuluHealth Labs entity, involving also Oulu CityLab of the City of Oulu and Oamk SimLab of Oulu University of Applied Sciences. OuluHealth Labs is one-of-a-kind on a global scale. There are other test laboratories, too, but at OuluHealth Labs one can test their innovations and products through the entire service chain from a private home all the way to health centres and hospitals.
“Society is going digital fast. With digitalisation, people’s responsibility and initiative in promoting health and treating diseases is increasing as their homes are equipped with new technology”, says Noora Jansson, Program Director of OuluHealth.
“We will need new approaches and systems with which to implement the home-generated health data in healthcare providers’ systems. Moreover, healthcare providers need practices with which to support procedures at home. To do this, new test environments are needed to cover the entire service chain.”
National strategy for health sector growth was prepared in Finland with excellent prospects for a top country in the health business. Following the strategy, Finnish competitiveness is being enhanced by developing university hospitals and centres of excellence evolved around them with business and partnership aspect in mind.
Finland adopted a new Bio Bank Act and bio banks are being established in the country. One of them, Bio Bank Borealis, was established in Northern Finland and it is located in the premises of Oulu University Hospital. Borealis supports OuluHealth Labs operations.
Photographs for media use: www.ppshp.fi/testlab/valokuvat. (Photos by Tiina Mäki)
OuluHealth Labs in short
OuluHealth Labs
OuluHealth Labs is a global-scale, one-of-a-kind test and development environment for products and procedures. It is composed of three parts: Oulu CityLab, Oamk SimLab and OYS TestLab.
The clients of OuluHealth Labs are companies and service providers in the wellbeing sector. OuluHealth Labs facilitates innovation and product testing through the entire service chain from a private home to health centres and hospitals. Test environment services are produced at the cost price.
OuluHelath Labs can, through their network, provide companies opportunities to international testing, in particular in the Nordic countries. OuluHealth Labs participates in the Nordic Test Beds network which develops test environments and provides companies opportunities for Nordic testing.
Further information: OuluHealth Program Director Noora Jansson, 040 753 2917, noora.jansson@businessoulu.com
www.ouluhealth.fi
Oamk SimLab
Oulu University of Applied Sciences has a versatile simulation and studio environment ecosystem - Oamk SimLab, which can be used as a testing and development environment in the product development of health technology and welfare services.
Oamk SimLab covers bioanalytics, nursing and emergency nursing, optometry, oral health care, radiography and radiation therapy as well as rehabilitation learning, testing and development environments with related equipment. The environments have, for example high fidelity patient simulators with all human vital functions, guided with a computer.
It’s possible to simulate different malfunctions and diseases as well as exam and treat the manikin in different in and out hospital environments. Oamk SimLab covers also UsabilityLab which supports usability testing of health technology devices and software.
The work input of multidisciplinary students can also be utilised in research and product development.
Further information: Principal Lecturer Helena Heikka, 050 367 0341, helena.heikka@oamk.fi
Oulu CityLab
The City of Oulu opened a technology healthcare centre in Kaakkuri area in Oulu in 2008. In addition to usual patient care, Kaakkuri healthcare centre contributes in the development of city’s technology-enhanced processes and provides companies basic healthcare environment for product testing and development.
Currently, testing operations will be extended to cover also other social and health services in the city, including private homes. Particular emphasis shall be placed on the development of Kontinkangas Wellbeing Centre test operations.
Further information: Technology Specialist Jaana Kokko, 044 7034 030, jaana.a.kokko@ouka.fi
OYS TestLab
OYS TestLab is a development and test environment for companies to test and develop their products and ideas in an authentic hospital environment and with genuine users. Oulu University Hospital uses the laboratory to develop their processes and to model and simulate building projects for the Future Hospital programme.
OYS TestLab locates within Oulu University Hospital. The laboratory covers 300 square metres on two floors. Various hospital units can be built into open spaces: an operating theatre, clinics, wards, control rooms, waiting areas etc. TestLab has a 3D virtual space and capacity for testing 5G network.
Further information: Project Manager Timo Alalääkkölä, 040-561 4390, timo.alalaakkola@ppshp.fi