Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) is the largest provider of specialized healthcare services in Finland and a leading academic medical center. The Comprehensive Cancer Center at HUS is the largest and most versatile cancer treatment center in Finland. It delivers personalized cancer care supported by highly skilled professionals and cutting-edge medical technology.
In 2014, the center became the second in Europe and the first in the Nordic countries to be accredited as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI), achieving the highest recognition available. It is also a member of the European Reference Network on Rare Adult Solid Cancers (EURACAN), and its expertise and treatment outcomes are internationally recognized. In 2024, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) awarded HUS Comprehensive Cancer Center the prestigious Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence – highlighting the outstanding quality of care, patient safety, and staff satisfaction.
A key focus area at HUS Comprehensive Cancer Center is care for adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients. HUS has developed Finland’s first service model specifically tailored to meet the psychosocial support, rehabilitation, and care coordination needs of young people affected by cancer. A new professional role has also been established to coordinate youth support services throughout the care continuum. Additionally, HUS operates a Late Effects Follow-up Clinic specifically for young adult cancer survivors. Patient participation and co-creation are core values: the hospital runs a Youth Advisory Board (customer panel), where young patients collaborate with healthcare staff to evaluate, design, and improve services.
In the e-QuoL project, HUS contributes to Work Package 3 – Adaptation, Innovation & Development. The hospital brings its strong expertise in person-centered AYA cancer care and co-created service design to the consortium. HUS’s role focuses on adapting and innovating survivorship care models and tools to ensure they are equitable, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of young cancer survivors across Europe.
Anna-Elina Rahikainen
Psychosocial Support Unit, HUS Comprehensive Cancer Center
Role in e-QuoL: Contributor to WP3 – Adaptation, Innovation & Development
Anna-Elina Rahikainen is a seasoned healthcare professional with a background in occupational therapy, psychosocial rehabilitation, and service design. She has over a decade of experience supporting cancer patients through both clinical work and developmental roles.
At the Psychosocial Support Unit of the HUS Comprehensive Cancer Center, her clinical practice focuses on adolescents and young adults (AYA) affected by cancer – including those in active treatment, follow-up care, and long-term survivorship. In addition to her clinical duties, Anna-Elina coordinates the center’s Youth Advisory Board, a patient forum that co-develops services in collaboration with healthcare professionals.
She also works as a project manager and lecturer, leading the development of support services, care models, and professional training programs aimed at enhancing AYA cancer care. Her work is rooted in co-creation, collaboration, and empowering young patients to actively participate in the development of the care they receive.
Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft