Digitalisation in Health Care and Elderly Care Services: From Potholes to Innovation Opportunities

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the innovation opportunities related to digitalisation in health care and elderly care services using a “pothole approach”. The study focuses on two innovative e-service concepts developed in Finland for enhancing the well-being of senior citizens: The hStick (health stick) and the mStick (memory and reminiscence stick). The data consist of 59 thematic interviews and focus group meetings, observation data and diaries collected in pilot cases. The innovation opportunities related to the novel e-service concepts are identified and explored using the pothole approach. The potholes in the stick system are first identified and then studied as sources and opportunities for potential future innovations. This study offers a novel perspective on research concerning technology and e-services and the various innovation opportunities made possible once technological and other shortcomings have been identified.