Finland is Developing a Model for the Assessment and Reimbursement of Digital Therapies

Finns are among the most digitally skilled people in Europe. Now, Finland is developing a model to streamline the adoption of digital healthcare solutions. The aim is to make Finland an attractive destination for technology developers while offering the best possible solutions for patients and healthcare professionals.

Finland aims to become a leader in digital healthcare solutions. The country is well positioned to succeed, as it already ranks among the global leaders in digital capabilities. According to the European Union’s DESI index, Finland is the most digitally capable country in Europe.

Digital solutions are now an integral part of healthcare, used in the treatment of diagnosed illnesses as well as in prevention. These digital therapies may include evidence-based digital treatments or self-care programs. Unlike pharmaceuticals, however, they often lack established evaluation methods, reimbursement systems, and distribution channels in many countries—including Finland. This gap hinders and delays adoption.

Pilot Project Aims to Build a Model for the Reimbursement of Digital Therapies

A pilot project will launch this year in Finland to propose a functional reimbursement model for digital therapies.

“The pilot will include ten applications or devices to be deployed in wellbeing services counties. The aim is to determine how digital therapies can be integrated into Finland’s healthcare system,” says Tomi Laitinen, Senior Specialist at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

The national pilot is coordinated by DigiFinland and carried out in cooperation with Kela (the Social Insurance Institution of Finland), Sitra, and FinCCHTA.

Finnish-developed digital solutions are eligible to participate. The application or device must be based on a physician-defined diagnosis and may qualify as either an MDR or non-MDR device or application. The call for applications is open until 6th of August, and the selected participants will be announced in August–September. The pilot will begin in November 2025 and continue through October 2026.

Benefits for Companies and Data to Support Policy Decisions

“The pilot will result in an evaluation and summary of the proposed model’s suitability for the Finnish healthcare system, as well as identify the changes needed if digital therapies are to be reimbursed under national health insurance,” Tomi Laitinen says.

According to Laitinen, the pilot gives participating companies the opportunity to validate their solutions, which may support their international expansion.

The pilot will also include recommendations for the storage, access, and use of data generated by applications. In addition, it will propose a centralized distribution model for digital therapies.

International Models and Standards as a Foundation

The development of Finland’s evaluation model will draw on examples from other European countries, such as Germany’s DiGA model and France’s PECAN model. It will also align with the European quality assessment standard (CEN-ISO/TS 82304-2) and the Nordic NordDEC health app criteria.

Alongside the digital therapy pilot, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has launched a broad collaborative network to bring together Finnish digital health expertise aimed at international markets. The Digital Health Finland network supports the global growth of Finnish digital health solutions.