Finnish National eHealth award is delivered by President and Secretary of the Finnish Society of Telemedicine and eHealth.
The Board of Finnish Society of Telemedicine and eHealth (FSTeH) delivers annually national eHealth award. The award is based on significant accomplishments in the field of telemedicine and eHealth. The required activity can be for example a doctoral thesis in this area or some other important activity in the national or international level supporting the society’s goals. The award is delivered during annual Finnish national conference on telemedicine and eHealth. In the year 2022, Finnish national eHealth award is delivered for the 19th time.
eHealth award for life-long work
The Board of FSTeH decided to deliver during the 27th Finnish National Telemedicine and eHealth Conference one joint eHealth award emphasizing both the recipients´ personal achievements and their seamless collaboration in their life-long work for the benefit of telemedicine and eHealth. For the first time in the history of FSTeH, recognition is given to a couple:
DDS Sinikka Salo has made a major contribution to the benefit of telemedicine and eHealth during her professional career. Already her academic thesis was related to health data management and secondary use of health data in dental sciences. During her years in the FSTeH she served as a board member and as the vice-president of the society. While working as a chief dentist in the city of Kemi, she was the main local organiser of the year 2004 annual Finnish telemedicine conference, having then as keynote speakers e.g. the later prime minister of Finland, Mr Jyrki Katainen and the later CEO of Danish MEDCOM organisation, Mr Lars Hulbaek. She was one of the first dentists in Finland to achieve a special competence in healthcare information technology. Sinikka Salo has served several years in Japan as the CEO of the Finnish-Japanese Welfare Center, assisting numerous Finnish enterprises to establish connections and creating personal relationships with Japanese experts in the field. She has also served as a deputy mayor of the city of Oulu, promoting citizen-centered selfcare and health technology innovations. She has also served in the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health with special duties connected to healthcare and social care reform.
MSc (Eng) Harri Salo has been a member of the society since early 2000, serving as the official webmaster of the society for nearly 20 years. During Sinikka´s years in the board, Harri simultaneously contributed to the arrangements of various society activities and continued his career as an editing webmaster thereafter without breaks even through their years abroad. The society president and board members could always trust that the information presented on the website was up-to-date. While in Sendai Japan, Harri Salo contributed to and organised visiting programs to numerous Finnish delegations, including the FSTeH board. He also helped to establish necessary connections for organising joint telemedicine and eHealth conferences with Japanese colleagues. Harri Salo has helped to collect the heritage of the society, after new persons in charge have taken the leading roles.
On these grounds, Finnish Society of Telemedicine and eHealth presents Sinikka Salo and Harri Salo with the year 2022 eHealth Award in recognition of their extensive life work in the field of Telemedicine and eHealth.
