Akuutti Health Magazine
Akuutti – yesterday, today and tomorrow
Akuutti - Finland's first and only health magazine programme - was launched in autumn 1994 to respond to a growing thirst for health information. The purpose was to inform the public about available health services, to provide reliable and critical information on treatments and to offer advice on factors affecting human health and illnesses; all this in a comprehensible and pleasant fashion.
Fourteen years of health information!
Today, after 14 years on air, Akuutti continues to apply its familiar and accessible approach. Akuutti tells us when we should go and see the doctor and which new treatments have been developed by medical science. Akuutti gives tips about self-care; how to combat a common cold by domestic means, what helps when neck muscles are sore, or how to alleviate PMS symptoms or middle-aged pain in the prostate-gland.
The goal is a physically healthier and emotionally richer life! Akuutti features reports on the achievements of medical science in Finland and abroad. In a domain dominated by the pharmaceutical industry, a position as an independent and unbiased health programme is a challenge that Akuutti has been able to tackle despite various attempts to influence its policy. It's not money that talks - Akuutti focuses on issues of human interest, latest advances in medicine and social concerns.
Programme of nationwide interest
Akuutti provides a forum for experts, but also voices criticism - faulty diagnoses and malpractices occur frequently and the management of patients leaves a lot to be desired. Constant spending cuts deteriorate citizens' right to equal and good care irrespective of their financial situation and place of residence. The weekly programme has over half a million viewers.
The authors of the programme won the Ministry of Education Award 2005 for Public Information. The criteria for the award included: Akuutti has been telling Finnish people about health services since 1994. It has provided clearly documented information on issues of health, illness and various treatment methods without forgetting criticism. Akuutti is not centered on the capital city - it is made in the northern city of Oulu and the interviewees come from different parts of the country. Akuutti was praised as an excellent example of multimedia entity based on a total concept approach, in which the TV programme and website complement each other in a valuable manner. On its website, Akuutti seeks contact with viewers and wishes to carry on a dialogue with them. Akuutti is clearly interested in its audience and is determined to serve its need for information.
In 2003 Akuutti was recognized by the Neurologiasäätiö foundation for "successful communication of information about health and the treatment of illnesses". In 2004, Akuutti earned an award from the Finnish Association of People with Mobility Disabilities for having "promptly taken up topical and delicate issues, such as human rights and the treatment of people with disabilities". And in December 2005, Akuutti scooped an award from the Heart Research Foundation for dissemination of information about cardiovascular diseases.
Future
Akuutti is a multimedia programme that does not shy away from tackling future challenges. Whatever does not go into the programme, will be given space on the website. At www.yle.fi/akuutti you will find comprehensive links to various organizations of social welfare and health care as well as summaries of the stories covered in the programme.
Karin Mariola
Producer
YLE Factual Programmes/Akuutti