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HoivaHelmi / Healthcare Made Accessible

Reception area of Hoiva Helmi health clinic with a smiling nurse in teal scrubs standing behind a white desk that has a decorative front, potted plants on either side, and a sign that says "Empowering Women's Health" on the wall behind her.

Designing for Women’s Healthcare Needs

Industry: Healthcare

Role: Sole Graphic Designer

Timeline: May - June / 2025

Deliverables:

• Brand Strategy & Positioning
• Visual Identity
• Research & Insights
• User Experience & Service Design
• Marketing Materials
• Service Design Elements

HoivaHelmi is a free support service concept created to empower immigrant women navigating Finland’s healthcare system.

Inspired by real challenges like language barriers, cultural differences, and lack of information, the project highlights how thoughtful branding and service design can improve access, build confidence, and promote equality in healthcare.

Empty waiting room with beige chairs, small tables, framed posters, a large window with blinds, and a potted plant.
Exterior view of a health clinic named Hoiva Helmi with outdoor signboard offering free health support for immigrant women in Finland, surrounded by small shrubs and brick building.
Medical examination room with a white reclining chair, a wooden cabinet, posters on the wall, and a patterned blue accent wall.
Blue directional sign hanging from the ceiling with a left arrow, indicating the Women's Healthcare Service at the Hoiva Helmi healthcare facility.

Building Trust Through Accessible Design

The biggest challenge was researching Finnish healthcare statistics and presenting them in a way that was simple, visual, and accessible for women from diverse backgrounds. Finding the right visual balance between a professional and feminine aesthetic, while communicating complex healthcare issues clearly was also challenging.

Since I’ve moved to Finland, I’ve faced challenging experiences with the Finnish healthcare system and witnessed these barriers firsthand. During the project, I was also navigating my own health struggles, which made it even more important to shed light on the difficulties immigrant women face.

I addressed these challenges by conducting in-depth research and translating complex information into clear, accessible visuals and language. This approach allowed me to develop a visual identity that feels both trustworthy and approachable. Using empathetic design and thoughtful storytelling, HoivaHelmi effectively informs, supports, and empowers women, ensuring they feel seen and understood.

Defining the Audience

Research reveals critical gaps in Finland's healthcare accessibility for immigrant women. Beyond language barriers, issues include: long wait times, poor communication, and dismissive treatment.

According to the MoniSuomi 2022 study, 33% of immigrants report insufficient access to doctors, which is higher than the general population (25%).

The target audience of HoivaHelmi includes immigrant women of diverse backgrounds, both newly arrived and long-term residents, seeking accessible everyday health support.

Competitors like Monika-Naiset liitto, African Care, and Global Clinic provide valuable services but lack nationwide accessibility, personalized guidance, and consistent long-term support. HoivaHelmi fills this gap by offering a holistic, inclusive, and practical solution: personal advisors, healthcare navigation, and accessible and empathetic communication.

A mind map diagram titled 'Tutkimuksen Mindmap' in Finnish, showing how immigrants receive healthcare in Finland. The diagram has central question 'Miten maahanmuuttajainen saa hoitoa Suomessa?' (How do immigrants get care in Finland?) with branches
Multiple overlapping web pages displayed on a light blue background, featuring Finnish text related to health reports and surveys, with green and blue accents.
Pie chart illustrating reasons why people in Finland did not visit healthcare services in 2021, with segments labeled as language barriers, money issues, long queues, lack of information, and fear or shame, each in Finnish and with corresponding perc
Comparison table titled 'Kilpailuanalyysi' with four columns labeled 'HoivaHelmi,' 'Monika,' 'African Care,' and 'Global Clinic' and six rows comparing service aspects such as 'Palvelut,' 'Kenelle,' 'Tukimuoto,' 'Saatavuus,' 'Vahvuus,' and 'Näkyvyys'
Profile card of Sanna Korhonen, a health counselor from Finland, aged 35, with a photo of her smiling. The card includes her goal to provide safe support for women, her languages spoken, communication channels, and professional experiences.
A social media profile card of Ana Popescu, a customer from Romania. It includes her photo, name, age, occupation, origin, language skills, goals, challenges, and main communication channels. The card has a light purple and blue theme with icons for
List of healthcare process steps in Finnish with icons, titled 'Nykyinen asiakaspolku' (Current Customer Journey). The steps include: 1. Terveysasema (Health Station), 2. Toistokäynnit (Follow-up Visits), 3. Gynekologin käynti terveysasemalla (Gyneco
A checklist titled 'Asiakaspolku – HoivaHelmi' with five steps, each with an icon on the left: a speech bubble, a handshake, a clipboard, a health card, and hands holding a heart. The steps are: 1. Yhteydenotto, 2. Ensitapaaminen, 3. Tuen suunnittelu

Design Highlights

HoivaHelmi’s design strategy prioritizes warmth, inclusivity, and professionalism to serve a diverse audience. The soft color palette creates a calm, safe atmosphere, while clear typography supports readability across languages. The geometric patterns symbolise unity and support, visually reinforcing the message of community and care.

HoivaHelmi uses design to make healthcare accessible and less intimidating for immigrant women. The approachable seashell logo immediately communicates care and safety. A soft color palette of calming turquoise and gentle lilac builds a welcoming, feminine, and trustworthy atmosphere.

Practical clarity is achieved with the Lexend font, chosen for its exceptional readability in multiple languages. The straightforward and flat icons simplify complex medical information into digestible visuals.

Logo for Hoiva Helmi with the tagline "Empowering Women's Health" on a lined background.
Diagram showing a shell icon plus hands holding a heart, equaling a shell icon, with Finnish labels. Shell icon labeled 'Simpukka & Helmi', hands with heart labeled 'Hoito', and the shell icon labeled 'HoivaHelmi'.
Color palette chart with six sections showcasing various shades of teal and lavender, each labeled with color names, hex codes, RGB values, CMYK values, and Pantone codes. The chart also includes images representing the color themes: a beach scene, a
A design showcasing the Lexend typography font with various alphabets, numbers, and special characters, along with a quote in Finnish and Finnish descriptive text about the font, with a shell icon at the top left.
A digital graphic with four stylized designs, the first contains a cutout photograph of a woman in a blue outfit walking away in a modern, well-lit space, overlaid with abstract teal, purple, and gray shapes; the second features abstract geometric te
A collection of symbols with Finnish labels, including a teal plant icon labeled 'Kasvu,' a teal rounded square labeled 'Tuki,' a pale blue circle labeled 'Helmi,' a teal arc with white lines labeled 'Ohjaus,' four purple circles labeled 'Yhteiso,' a

Project Impact

Even though HoivaHelmi is a conceptual project, the design impact can be described through the values it represents and the problems it aims to solve. Its goal is to make healthcare more understandable and less intimidating.

During this project, I refined my ability to design impactful visual presentations across PowerPoint, Figma, and Photoshop. I also gained valuable insights into accessibility and color contrast while exploring geometric brand patterns to create a more distinct and cohesive visual identity. This project shows how good design can solve real problems and support those who are often overlooked.

Sign for Hoiva Helmi with logo and the slogan "Empowering Women's Health" on the building exterior.
Close-up of a white jacket with a pocket holding two pens, embroidered with the logo and name 'Hoiva Helmi'.
A vertical billboard on a sidewalk surrounded by trees with green leaves, promoting women's health and healthcare services in Finland, featuring text, a floral illustration of a uterus, and a QR code.
Bus stop shelter with advertisements and a yellow bus icon sign above, surrounded by greenery.
Digital illuminated poster featuring a woman in motion with uplifting messages, nearby potted plant, and entrance to a building with glass doors and intercom system.
Person wearing a white lab coat with 'Hoiva Helmi' logo, holding a clipboard with a confirmation letter. The person is dressed in a light blue shirt, dark blue striped tie, and a face mask, standing against a light blue background.

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