Finland has a highly decentralized three level socialized system of health
care and alongside these, a much smaller private health care system. Responsibility
for health care is assigned to the municipalities (local government).
Primary health care is obtained from district health centers employing general
practitioners and nurses that provide most day-to-day medical services. The
general practitioners are also gatekeepers to more the more specialized services
in the secondary and tertiary care sectors. Secondary care is provided by the
municipalities through district hospitals where more specialist care is available.
Finland also has a network of five university teaching hospitals which makes
up the tertiary level. These contain the most advanced medical facilities in
the country and they are where Finnish doctors learn their profession. These
are funded by the municipalities, but national government meets the cost of
medical training. These hospitals are located in the major cities of Helsinki,
Turku, Tampere, Kuopio, and Oulu.
Employers are obliged by law to provide occupational health care services
for their employees, as are educational establishments for their students as
well as their staff. Only about 10 per cent of the income of private sector
income comes from private insurance. Most is paid for out of pocket, but a significant
share of the cost is reclaimable from the national insurance system KELA.
The separate private health care system is very small. Between 3 and 4 per cent
of hospital in-patient care is provided by the private health care system and
the remainder by the public or socialized system. Physiotherapy, dentistry and
occupational health services are the main areas where the private sector is
most used, although the municipalities by law also have to provide basic dental
services. Glasses are also not publicly subsidized.Overall, the municipalities
(funded by taxation, local and national) meet about two thirds of all medical
care costs and the remaining one third by the national insurance system (nationally
funded) and patients themselves by direct charges and fees for service. Direct
fees to residents meet about 10 percent of the cost of social welfare and health
medical care in Finland . There are caps on total medical expenses that
are met out of pocket for drugs and hospital treatments. All necessary costs
over these caps are paid for by the National Insurance system. The quality of
service in Finnish health care is considered to be good and Finnish health care
expenditures are below the European average.
A Patient's Injury Law gives patients the right to
compensation for unforeseeable injury that occurred as a result of treatment
or diagnosis. Health care personnel need not be shown to be legally responsible
for the injury thus avoiding the development of defensive medical practices.
To receive compensation, it is sufficient that unforeseeable injury as defined
by law occurred. A law on patients' status and rights, the first such law in
Europe, ensures a patient's right to information, to informed consent to treatment,
the right to see any relevant medical documents, and the right to autonomy.
Legislation also lays down the time frame in which a person must be ensured
access to necessary medical care and defines the small percentage of treatments
that are to be considered as non-urgent. However, doctors are free to decide
independently how to treat patients. The government does not dictate how doctors
may treat their patients.
At the surgery, with the doctor (GP)
Primary healthcare is provided by municipal health centers
(Terveysasemat). They are usually only
open for specific hours on weekdays, so you should make an appointment to see
a doctor if you want to avoid a lengthy wait. You need to use the centre which
is closest to the place where you live; it is not possible to make a doctor's
appointment at a different center. Health centers are run by municipal
councils and no central directory is available. If a link for your area does
not appear below, try going to your city's Web site at www.yourcityname.fi
(ex. www.helsinki.fi) - many of these sites
have English versions with healthcare information. Alternatively call telephone
directory information on 118 and ask for the local health
centre (terveysasema).
Pregnancy
Women should visit a maternity clinic as soon as they become pregnant or before
the end of the 4th month of pregnancy. The clinic monitors the health of the
pregnant woman and the child and organizes antenatal classes for mothers and
fathers. The services are free of charge for the customers of the clinic. Once
the infant is born, the doctors and nurses of the infant healthcare clinic take
care of the health and vaccinations of the child. Your local health center will
provide you with more information on maternity and infant healthcare clinics.
At the pharmacy (Apteekkit)
Medicines are sold only at pharmacies. Some are sold without a prescription
but for stronger medication a doctor's prescription is required. There is always
one pharmacy in town that is open late. The Finland-wide Yliopiston
Apteekki chain of pharmacies generally opens for extended hours as well
as on Sundays. They can be found at the locations listed below. The website
is only in Finnish.
Helsinki
Mannerheimintie 5 / Kaivopiha
00100 Helsinki
Avoinna joka päivä klo 7-24
Mannerheimintie 96,
00250 Helsinki
Aina avoinna
Ala-Malmintori 5 2. krs,
00700 Helsinki
Avoinna joka päivä 8-21
Diakonissalaitos, Alppikatu 2,
00530 Helsinki
Avoinna arkisin klo 9-18, lauantaisin klo 9-12
Viikintori 3 (Prismakeskus) (8.11. 2007 alkaen)
00790 Helsinki
Avoinna arkisin 8-21, la 8-18 ja su 12-21 (kauppojen sunnuntaiaukioloaikoina)
Joensuu
Koskikatu 7,
80100 Joensuu
Avoinna joka päivä klo 8-23
Jyväskylä
Kauppakatu 39,
40100 Jyväskylä
Avoinna joka päivä klo 8-23
Puistokatu 4,
40100 Jyväskylä
Avoinna arkisin klo 8-19, lauantaisin 9-15
Kemi
Pohjoisrantakatu 14,
94100 Kemi
Avoinna joka päivä klo 8-21
Lahti
Aleksanterinkatu 13,
15110 Lahti
Avoinna joka päivä klo 7-23
Lappeenranta
Valtakatu 37,
53100 Lappeenranta
Avoinna joka päivä klo 8-22
Oulu
Isokatu 27,
90100 Oulu
Avoinna joka päivä klo 8-23
Pori
Isolinnankatu 21,
28100 Pori
Avoinna joka päivä klo 8-22
Salo
Vilhonkatu 14,
24240 Salo
Avoinna joka päivä klo
8.30-21
Savonlinna
Olavinkatu 56,
57100 Savonlinna
Avoinna joka päivä klo
8.30-22
Tampere
Hämeenkatu 16,
33200 Tampere
Avoinna joka päivä klo 7-24
Turku
Yliopistonkatu 25,
20100 Turku
Avoinna joka päivä klo 8-2
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