Case Study: Helsinki University Hospital achieves improved patient access and significant cost savings with Microsoft Dynamics 365

Virtual Hospital improves patients’ healthcare access, dramatically cuts costs

Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District (HUS), a joint authority of 24 municipalities with 22,000 employees, faced rising costs, one of Europe’s fastest‑aging populations, and the challenge of delivering equal access to specialist care across Finland’s vast, sparsely populated regions. Patients in remote areas often could not reach therapists or specialists without long, costly travel—prompting HUS to explore digital alternatives to bridge distance, improve access, and contain costs.

Working with partner Innofactor and using Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, and Dynamics 365, HUS built a Virtual Hospital of specialty “hubs” that combine public information, digital treatment paths, clinician tools, and mobile apps. The program has scaled rapidly (the mental‑health hub now sees ~100,000 visits/month), halved the cost of virtual visits, and boosted clinician productivity (e.g., psychotherapists treating three patients in the time formerly needed for one; weight‑control care reaching five times more patients; pregnancy visits down 80%). HUS estimates a 5% reduction in outpatient visits would pay for the digital services five times over in three years, and government funding is expanding the model nationwide.

Helsinki University Hospital

Visa Honkanen

Director of Strategic Development