Technopolis in collaboration with life science service company FinnMedi Oy has developed a brand new center for healthcare and life science. The new building Finn-Medi 6 has three elements: a patient hotel, an office complex, and an oculist center. Finn-Medi 6 will be built at an excellent location in the Finn-Medi Science Park area right next to the Tampere University Hospital, the Tampere University of Applied Sciences and the Tampere University.

All three project phases will start simultaneously in May 2010. The life sciences center is scheduled to be completed late in 2011. Finn-Medi 6 will also include parking space for approximately 150 vehicles.

The oculist center facilities will be leased by the Joint Municipal Authority of the Pirkanmaa Hospital District (PSHP) and the patient hotel by Norlandia Care Oy. The 2,000 square meter office complex will be leased to several tenants. Marketing of these premises will start immediately.

Satu Eskelinen, Director of Technopolis Tampere, is satisfied with the deal: “The new type of life sciences center will serve all the parties in the region, including consumers, researchers, nursing staff and educational institutions as well as high-tech companies and experts. I am truly pleased with the fact that the people in Tampere have the courage to invest in a new type of business concept, the unique competence available in the region, and innovative academic key sectors despite the current economic downswing,” Eskelinen says.

Ole Ursin-Smith, COO of the patient hotel tenant Norlandia Care Oy, is also enthusiastic about the potential of the new campus: “Our service concept is the first of its kind in Finland, and we are truly excited. Our collaboration with FinnMedi Oy convinced us that Tampere is an excellent location to launch our patient hotel concept in Finland. Finn-Medi Science Park will provide ample opportunities for innovative collaboration with new partners.”

“Norlandia Care`s concept focuses on salutogenesis (health promotion), and our concept has shown that a patient hotel provides guests with security, privacy, their next of kin an opportunity to stay close to their loved one, and decreases traveling costs. The hotel environment is also comfortable and relaxing - such an environment will help patients recover more quickly while allowing them to feel secure that the hospital is right next door. The hotel will be an alternative to the traditional city hotels, and we promise that standards will equal anyone’s expectation” Ole Ursin-Smith says.

Rauno Ihalainen, the director of the Joint Municipal Authority of the Pirkanmaa Hospital District (PSHP) believes that the patient hotel will be a totally new possibility for the patients for pre and post operational follow-up and rehabilitation:”Services for consumers, healthcare experts and researchers will be available under the same roof. This is a wonderful opportunity to create new business models and further develop the business. The new and innovative operational methods of the oculist center will increase the profitability of healthcare service processes, improve its quality, and also improve its cost-effectiveness.”

Additional information:

FinnMedi Oy, Matti Eskola, CEO, Tel. +358 40 557 5355

Norlandia Care Oy, Ole Ursin-Smith, COO, Tel. +47 900 63 595

Technopolis Plc, Satu Eskelinen, Director of Technopolis Tampere, Tel. +358 50 655 70