Helsinki Hospital's Heli Vähäsilta on patient clothing: You can look good in the hospital

“It’s great that Medanta is boldly bringing new themes and solutions to healthcare clothing,” says Heli Vähäsilta, partner at Helsinki Hospital. HH has used Medanta’s work and patient clothing since the beginning, and Medanta now also handles the hospital’s laundry services.

A stretched and padded robe, with half of the buttons missing at worst. Dreary clothing doesn't make you feel any better when you're already feeling bad when you're sick.

"Comfortable, nice-looking and well-fitting patient clothing is an important part of recovery and a positive care experience. You can look good in the hospital too," says Heli Vähäsilta, partner at Helsinki Hospital.

She has experience of the importance of clothing from both sides of nursing: as the founder of a private hospital and the person in charge of its clothing purchases, and as a patient. Vähäsilta was diagnosed with melanoma in 2015, and she knows well what the uncertainty and fear experienced by a cancer patient feel like.

"I had surgery at Helsinki Hospital, so I wore our own patient clothes, which are from the Medanta collection. I personally felt that my mood improved when proper attention was paid to the quality and appearance of the clothes."

While waiting in the hospital lobby to go to the operating room, Vähäsilta did not feel the urge to retreat and hide from view – as a patient waiting in tattered clothes might feel.

"When choosing patient clothing, it is important that the fabric is comfortable but at the same time firm and conceals the body sufficiently. The clothing is a safety shield for the patient."

“We chose the Porsche of patient clothing”

Modern clothing for staff and patients is beautiful, soft-fitting, safe and functional. According to Heli Vähäsilta, these are exactly the qualities that Helsinki Hospital, founded in 2014, emphasized when looking for a suitable clothing supplier.

“We chose Medanta because we wanted the best quality, the Porsche of patient clothing, and we wanted something different from the colors typically used in hospitals. We also had a clear vision for our surgeons' clothing. We worked with Medanta to fine-tune the right color tone and, for example, we wanted embroidery, so the doctors' coats have the doctor's name and specialty and the HH logo.”

According to Vähäsilta, Medanta not only impressed with its quality but also with its flexible customer service.

“When setting up a hospital, there are a thousand things that need to be acquired and taken into account when nothing is ready yet. We had a tight schedule, and deciding on patient clothing was a bit of a last-minute decision. The people at Medanta really listened to us and handled the situation brilliantly. They put us in a good mood and promised that our patients would have clothing when the hospital opened.”

Helsinki Hospital opened on March 3, 2014, and the first patient underwent surgery the very next day. He was given a brand new set of clothes from the first set of clothes.

“The style of the textiles remains consistent”

The close cooperation between Helsinki Hospital and Medanta has continued and grown. Medanta now also handles the hospital's laundry services.

In the future, the staff will wear Medanta's silky soft and dream-light workwear: Helsinki Hospital staff adopted new microfiber outfits in March 2019. Patient clothing is also currently being renewed in the microfiber collection.

“Medanta supplies us with all the textiles, i.e., work and patient clothing as well as linen. It’s convenient, and this way, the style of all the textiles remains consistent.”

The materials and technical solutions for hospital clothing have made great strides forward. In addition to aesthetics, Heli Vähäsilta is interested in Medanta's development work: thanks to the antimicrobial treatment, the fabric surface destroys microbes and preserves the freshness of the garment.

The functionality of the garment is also essential. It must be easy to put on if, for example, the patient's limbs have poor mobility.

“We do a lot of back surgeries. The clothes need to be open at the back so that they are easy to take off and put back on for the patient after the operation.”

“We want to support Finnish work”

Heli Vähäsilta emphasizes that domesticity is a key value for Helsinki Hospital.

“Medanta – like Helsinki Hospital – is a Finnish company that pays its taxes to Finland. For our hospital, it has been self-evident from the very beginning that we support other domestic brands. In addition to our work and patient clothing and other textiles, our furniture and tableware are also of Finnish design.”

Helsinki Hospital wants to emphasize a homely atmosphere in its environment, which is created by, among other things, wooden floors and the cozy interior of private rooms.

"Clothing is also a significant part of a hospital's overall image and supports the company's brand. I believe that healthcare facilities in general are starting to pay more and more attention to the appearance and quality of their work and patient clothing."

Vähäsilta finds that exchanging ideas with the Medanta staff has been inspiring. Helsinki Hospital's new patient clothing has also sparked new ideas.

“As a hospital, Helsinki Hospital knows its own needs and working environment, and Medanta has expertise in fabrics and design. Our chemistry works extremely well. I believe that our collaboration will give birth to something completely new that has not been seen in Finland before.”