In collaboration with the Wellbeing Services County of North Karelia, Nightingale Health's blood test has been integrated into the county's healthcare system. In the first phase, a client coming to a health check for the unemployed is directed to ISLAB for blood sampling. Nightingale Health analyses the client's blood sample and delivers a report that estimates the risk of developing five common chronic diseases: heart attack, ischemic stroke, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and fatty liver disease. This disease risk estimate is delivered both to the client and to the professional carrying out the health check, and the results are reviewed with the client at the appointment. Through the disease risk report, the client gets an overall picture of their risks in an understandable and motivating form, together with guidance and advice suited to their situation.

Based on the results, clients found to be at high risk are offered risk-based care pathways in line with the county's existing care practices. Where needed, clients are directed to the digital care pathways in use in the county: digital diabetes coaching, intended for people with type 2 diabetes and people at the prediabetes stage, and the digital heart health pathway. Clients at elevated risk are later directed to a follow-up blood sample, which shows how their risks have changed.

The health check for unemployed is a statutory service of the wellbeing services counties, free of charge for the clients and based on the Finnish Health Care Act. It is intended for people who are not covered by occupational or student healthcare. The health check assesses and promotes the client's health and wellbeing and supports their work ability and functional capacity. In Finland, Nightingale Health's disease risk detection is already in nationwide use in occupational healthcare, and over 250,000 people have received their results. In North Karelia, disease risk detection now becomes available as part of public healthcare for the unemployed, who are outside occupational healthcare.

The Wellbeing Services County of North Karelia is the first wellbeing services county in Finland to introduce blood-based disease risk detection as a routine part of a statutory health check. The operating model was prepared in close cooperation between the health check service for the unemployed and the health and social services centre, and the nursing staff played a significant role in the preparation. The pilot generates data on morbidity, changes in risks and the effectiveness of the measures taken, which supports evidence-based decision-making.

"We want to detect the risks of lifestyle diseases earlier than today and give our clients information about their own health in an understandable and motivating form. Our nursing staff has been closely involved in preparing the operating model, which was built in close cooperation between the health check service for the unemployed and the health and social services centre. The data from the pilot will help us direct resources to where they bring the most benefit," says Susanna Wilén, Director of Health Services at the Wellbeing Services County of North Karelia.

"Preventing diseases adds healthy years and reduces the burden and costs of healthcare, but this requires that disease risks are detected in time, also in people who are not covered by occupational healthcare. In North Karelia, risks are detected from a blood test already before the appointment, and support is directed to those whose risk is high. The follow-up sample shows how the risks change, so the effect of prevention can also be measured," says Teemu Suna, CEO and Founder of Nightingale Health.

"Siun sote has built the operating model together with its nursing staff as part of an existing statutory service. This is a practical way to bring prevention into public healthcare, and I believe the model will also interest other wellbeing services counties," Teemu Suna continues.

Nightingale Health's technology is validated in over 1,000 peer-reviewed scientific publications and is approved for healthcare use in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Singapore. Risk detection requires only a blood sample and the person's age and sex, so the test can be done as part of standard blood sampling and repeated in the same way.

About the Wellbeing Services County of North Karelia

Siun sote, the Wellbeing Services County of North Karelia, is responsible for public social and healthcare services, rescue services and environmental health services for around 162,000 residents of North Karelia. The county operates in the municipalities of Joensuu, Kitee, Lieksa, Nurmes, Outokumpu, Kontiolahti, Ilomantsi, Juuka, Liperi, Polvijärvi, Rääkkylä, Tohmajärvi and Heinävesi. Its purpose is to support, secure and produce wellbeing so that North Karelia is a good place to live. Read more: www.siunsote.fi

Siun sote enquiries: Director of Health Services at the Wellbeing Services County of North Karelia, Susanna Wilén, +358 13 330 4042, susanna.wilen@siunsote.fi