Smarter Public Healthcare: Insights from My Work on Risk and Patient Safety

In addition to interpreting other people’s research, I have also conducted my own. I have written two theses: one for the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Helsinki and another for the School of Engineering at Aalto University. Both of my theses are closely related and together form a cohesive whole.

My work has focused on a simple but critical factor in surgical safety: the condition of a patient’s skin before orthopedic surgery. It’s an easy detail to neglect, but it has major implications for patient safety and the national economy.

For my medical thesis at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Helsinki, I manually reviewed patient files for a couple thousand patients, and our analysis suggested that poor skin condition was overrepresented among patients total arthroplasty infection complications.

Rintanen, A. (2020). Preoperatiivisen ihotilanteen merkitys tekonivelinfektioissa [Licentiate thesis, University of Helsinki]. Helda. https://helda.helsinki.fi/items/a90d14ad-0ef1-4eae-8d33-3ba451567b64

Abstract (translated):
This retrospective study explored the association between preoperative skin condition and postoperative prosthetic joint infection in patients undergoing hip and knee replacements. Patient records were reviewed to identify clinical signs of skin abnormalities (e.g., wounds, eczema, inflammation) and their relationship to infection rates. The analysis revealed that patients with compromised skin near the surgical site were more likely to develop deep infections requiring revision surgery. The results suggest that evaluating and managing skin health before surgery could be an important preventive step in reducing surgical complications and improving long-term outcomes.

Using Engineering Principles to Improve Surgical Outcomes

While completing my Master of Science thesis in Industrial Engineering and Management at Aalto University, I investigated the impact of systemic interventions from a macroeconomic perspective. I demonstrated how a simple intervention, such as checking the condition of a patient’s skin and intervening, can save significant financial resources and reduce human suffering.

Rintanen, A. (2021). Reducing complication risk in orthopaedic surgery – Case perioperative skin condition and prosthetic joint infections [Master’s thesis, Aalto University]. Aaltodoc. https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/items/e8896a5c-6f99-4720-8cee-62789bee6229

Abstract:
This study applied systems engineering tools to analyze how preoperative skin conditions affect the risk of prosthetic joint infections (PJI) in orthopedic surgery. Using quality management frameworks and retrospective patient data, the research identified a 3.5× higher infection risk among patients with skin issues near the surgical site. The findings highlight a practical and cost-effective opportunity to reduce complications: delaying elective joint replacement surgery when preoperative skin health is suboptimal. The study demonstrates how engineering thinking can support safer surgical decisions and improve healthcare outcomes without adding complexity to clinical routines.

The suggested fix was surprisingly straightforward:

If the patient’s skin isn’t in good condition, postpone the surgery until it is.

This small change in protocol could prevent unnecessary infections, reduce repeat surgeries, and theoretically save 1.5 million euros per year in costs and human suffering in the small country of Finland, with 5.6 million people, alone.

Why This Matters for Public Health

The real takeaway here isn’t just about skin or surgery, but it’s about combining clinical experience with an engineering mindset, and how this combination can make care safer, smarter, and more sustainable for everyone.