In this episode of The Mehr Einsatzwagen Podcast, host Arthur Oles broadcasts from Europe’s leading digital health conference, DMEA in Berlin. He is joined by Pekka Kahri, Technology Officer at Helsinki University Hospital (HUS), one of the most advanced hospitals in Europe. Pekka shares his unique journey across government, industry, and healthcare, and dives deep into the strategic role he plays in fostering innovation and public-private collaboration within Finland’s healthcare ecosystem.

From leading EU-funded projects on pediatric data collaboration and cancer treatment analytics to shaping the future of AI deployment and health data governance, Pekka explains how Finland is pushing boundaries in secondary health data use, digital transformation, and federated data systems. The episode explores the cultural, structural, and strategic factors that make Finland a model for collaborative health innovation, and why hospitals need roles like his to drive future-ready solutions from the ground up.

Show Notes:

Host: Arthur Oles – Journalist specializing in digital health
Guest: Pekka Kahri – Technology Officer, Helsinki University Hospital

 Topics Covered:

• Pekka Kahri’s professional journey: from health tech industry to government to HUS
• The role of a Technology Officer: strategic, collaborative, and innovation-driven
• How HUS initiates and leads large-scale EU-funded health innovation projects
• Examples of public-private partnerships in:
  • Pediatric data collaboration
  • AI in cancer therapy assessments
• The mechanics of collaboration:
  • Engagement forums and advisory boards
  • Clinician-driven innovation and co-creation with industry
  • Transparent, structured partnership pipelines
• Finland’s low-hierarchy culture and its advantages in healthcare innovation
• Secondary use of health data and European Health Data Space (EHDS)
• Key digital health priorities in Finland:
  • Better EHR usability and clinician feedback loops
  • Federated data collaboration
  • Responsible, cost-effective deployment of AI
  • Equity in digital access for all patient groups
• Why clinical engagement and small-scale experimentation are vital for transformation
• The importance of building trust and mutual understanding in public-private collaborations

 Highlights:

• “Innovation doesn’t naturally fit into hospital structures—it needs free agents.”
• “Federated analytics may solve the challenge of data sharing across borders.”
• “Finland’s size and culture are not barriers—they're superpowers for innovation.”
• “If we don’t show clinicians the value of data collection, we risk losing their trust.”

 Key Takeaway:

Hospitals must create internal champions for innovation. Roles like the Technology Officer are essential to bridge clinicians, IT, and industry to co-create future-proof, patient-centered healthcare systems.

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