About
Minna Pikkarainen works in Oslo Metropolitan University in the faculty of Health Sciences /Centre and Faculty of Technology, Art and Design (TKD) as a professor in Digitalisation of Healthcare Services. The aim of the work is to conduct research on the effects of digitalisation in health care services and health care professions. Today we are experiencing a digital revolution. It has already affected medical work and health care in many ways such as processing data, diagnostics, spreading of information about medical diagnostics, assisted living technologies. As technology replace individual tasks and specialist knowledge is made more readily available, some health care work will be transformed radically, and new specialities will appear. In certain areas, technologies can replace humans, and in other cases man and technology can work together to solve problems neither would be able to do well separately. The focus of the professorship is on the consequences of digitalisation on health care services.
Research groups
Research projects
Ongoing research projects
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Applying Artificial Intelligence in Developing Personalized and Sustainable Healthcare for Spinal Disorders (AID-Spine, part I)
We use machine learning methods to develop and validate prediction models for health and welfare outcomes after treatment for spinal disorders.
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Designing an intelligent gamified solution for treatment of scoliosis among children and adolescents
This PhD project focuses on understanding needs of youth with idiopathic scoliosis and to examine how the needs can be improved by using a digital solution – e.g. a smartphone application.
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Designing an intelligent personalized vest for scoliosis brace to improve treatment and monitoring of scoliosis in adolescents
The project will design an intelligent personalized vest for scoliosis brace with wearable sensors.
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Digital health technology: implementation hinders and possibilities in non-critical emergency care cases
This qualitative study explores the barriers and opportunities related to implementing digital health solutions in non-critical emergency care within the Norwegian healthcare context.
Publications and research
Scientific publications
Kolstad, Eivind;
Pavel, Nenad
;
Cartajenas, Alecis Ken Sosmena
;
Saidi, Trust
; Rosseland, Ingvild Kristina Hurum; Bergheim, Åse; Mørk, Nora Synnøve; Selmer-Olsen, Kathinka Granum;
Gazerani, Parisa
; Shorey, Shefaly;
Pikkarainen, Minna
(2026).
Opportunities and Concerns of Gamified, Extended Reality for Home-Based Motor Rehabilitation for Children With Brain Injury: Qualitative Case Study on Design Elements Related to the Engagement and Fatigue Perspectives.
Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR).
Vol. 28.
https://doi.org/10.2196/84013
Røe, Yngve
; Lukic, Marko;
Johansen, Safora
;
Admiraal, Wilfried
;
Pikkarainen, Minna
(2026).
Building digital competence for future healthcare through hands-on AI experience.
Frontiers in Education.
Vol. 11.
https://doi.org/https://www.frontiersin.org/journa
Saidi, Trust
;
Pavel, Nenad
;
Gazerani, Parisa
;
Pikkarainen, Minna
(2026).
Bridging digital health gaps in South Africa: A qualitative study of the digital divide, interoperability and health equity.
Digital Health.
Vol. 12.
https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076261440967
Mathew, Anna
;
Sykorova, Kamila
;
Pavel, Nenad
;
Johnsen, Marianne Bakke
;
Pikkarainen, Minna
;
Ali, Sadeeq
; Kvammen, Mette Fløystad;
Gazerani, Parisa
(2026).
Patient-Reported and Technology-Assisted Monitoring in Orthotic Management of Adolescent with Idiopathic Scoliosis: Scoping Review.
JMIR mhealth and uhealth.
https://doi.org/10.2196/88880
Hussiny, Mohammad Ali
;
Saidi, Trust
;
Pikkarainen, Minna
;
Gazerani, Parisa
(2026).
A Bibliometric Analysis of Large Language Models in Mental Health Research.
Frontiers in Psychiatry.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/5535900
Toh, Zheng An; Thambawita, Vajira L B;
Grotle, Margreth
; He, Hong-Gu;
Pikkarainen, Minna
; Hey, Hwee Weng Dennis; Solberg, Tore; Ingebrigtsen, Tor; Berg, Bjørnar
(2025).
Development of machine learning models for predicting patient-perceived benefit following lumbar disc herniation or spinal stenosis surgery.
European spine journal.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-025-09304-y
Hestetun-Mandrup, Ann Marie; Hamre, Sophia Charlotta;
Lund, Anne
;
Martinsen, Anne Catrine Trægde
; He, Hong-Gu;
Pikkarainen, Minna
(2025).
Exploring people with stroke’s perceptions of digital technologies in post-stroke rehabilitation–a qualitative study.
Disability and Rehabilitation.
Vol. Epub 2025 May 18.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2025.2504615
Hestetun-Mandrup, Ann Marie; Toh, Zheng An; Oh, Hui Xian; He, Hong-Gu;
Martinsen, Anne Catrine Trægde
;
Pikkarainen, Minna
(2024).
Effectiveness of digital home rehabilitation and supervision for stroke survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Digital Health.
Vol. 10.
https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241256861
Hyvämäki, Piia; Kääriäinen, Maria; Tuomikoski, Anna;
Pikkarainen, Minna
; Jansson, Miia
(2024).
Healthcare Professionals’ Perspectives on Patient Safety in Health Information Exchange and Related Socio-Technical Factors: A Descriptive Qualitative Study.
Public Health.
https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4881968
Pikkarainen, Minna
; Iivari, Marika; gomes, Julius Francis; Kaartinen, Jouni; Xu, Yueqiang; Hong-Gu, He;
Gazerani, Parisa
(2024).
Identification of required capabilities of digital health ecosystems when preventing and managing non-communicable diseases.
Digital Health.
Vol. 10.
https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241271807
