Medicine in Finland
To create a universal health system does not require transcendent wealth - the experience of Finland proves that it is all about the rational use of a limited resource. The cost of medical care in Suomi is lower than the European average, but in general, medicine in Finland meets the needs of society - the country leads the UN rankings in terms of the level and quality of life. The system of compulsory social insurance (KELA) guarantees basic medical care to all residents of Suomi at the place of residence, study and work.
The healthcare system in Finland
The scope of KELA coverage and the prices of medical services vary from region to region, but in general, the health care system in Finland works effectively, despite disproportions. Inexpensive and high-quality medical care in Finland attracts visitors from Germany, Sweden, Great Britain and other countries; surgical treatment is especially popular. Suomi has the lowest incidence of postoperative complications and nosocomial infections in Europe and good survival rates for cancer patients; at the same time, doctors in Finland do not make unnecessary appointments for the sake of increasing the amount of the check.
The KELA policy is issued at the municipal health centre; a family doctor is assigned to the patient, who organizes primary medical care. Regular contributions for employees are made by the employer, entrepreneurs and officially unemployed persons pay insurance on their own.
For specialized assistance, they turn to central and university clinics; payment for diagnostics and treatment is partially reimbursed by state insurance. Voluntary commercial health insurance partially compensates for the costs of services that are not covered by KELA; the average cost of a policy is about 115 EUR.
Suomi citizens and foreigners with a permanent visa and registration are entitled to medical care in Finland under KELA policies. For foreign citizens with a temporary visa and without registration, alternative documents serve as admission to the public health system:
- EHIC card - for the European Union and the Eurozone;
- ID-card - for the Scandinavian countries and Australia;
- Citizen's Rights or GHIC card - for the UK;
- certificate of the center of social insurance - for other countries;
- travel insurance with coverage from 30,000 EUR.
Ambulance in Finland
Contacting the emergency services must be justified: an ambulance in Finland (112) leaves only in case of danger to life; call price is about 20 EUR. Home visits are not provided for in municipal medical institutions, but some private clinics provide such a service for a substantial fee.
In situations that do not involve a risk to life, emergency medical care is provided in the emergency departments of hospitals and outpatient clinics. The nurse's appointment is included in the insurance; if the case is complex and it was necessary to involve a doctor, the service is paid, and the price depends on the region. Own funds are raised when the annual coverage limit set by the municipality is exceeded; usually the insurance is enough to pay for three emergency visits a year.
How to make an appointment with a doctor in Finland
In municipal clinics in large cities, it is widely practiced to book an appointment with a doctor online in Finland by electronic time booking. It is also possible to make an appointment with a doctor in Finland through the Maisa medical services portal by registering a personal account on the website.
The average processing time for applications online is about two days; if an electronic appointment is not available in your city, you can make an appointment with a doctor in Finland by phone, but it is difficult to get through the first time. If you make an appointment, try not to be late and give at least 12 hours notice of the cancellation of the appointment, otherwise you will have to pay a fine.
Waiting time for an appointment / consultation with a doctor in Finland
Usually, a doctor's consultation in Finland is provided within a week after the application, in large cities the waiting time is reduced to 2-3 days. You have to wait about two months to see a narrow specialist, and besides, you still have to get a referral from your family doctor. In private clinics, they serve for a fee without queues and referrals, but it is possible to reimburse expenses only through a VHI policy. If there is no paid insurance, in standard cases it is more profitable to resort to telemedicine - an online consultation on the VideoDoc platform will solve the problem at the lowest cost.
The cost of a consultation and appointment with a doctor in Finland
In municipal health centers, the price of a doctor's appointment in Finland varies from 20 to 60 EUR; After consultation, you will be sent an invoice for insurance payment. Unlike therapists from other EU countries, Finnish doctors often refer patients for tests and functional diagnostics: a blood test for sugar costs 35 EUR; ECG - 200 EUR. In the private sector, the cost of consulting a doctor in Finland is much more expensive - for a visit to a general practitioner they will ask for at least 60 EUR, a visit to a narrow specialist will cost 200-200 EUR.
Medical prescriptions in Finland
KELA insurance entitles you to reimbursement of up to 35% of the cost of most prescription drugs and some OTC drugs. For people with severe and chronic diagnoses, the limit rises to 65%; essential medicines such as insulin are fully reimbursed.
A prerequisite for a refund is that you must obtain a prescription for a medicine in Finland; appointments of foreign doctors are not valid. On the VideoDoc platform, you can find therapists and specialists with the right to practice in Suomi; Finnish pharmacies accept prescriptions written by accredited specialists without question.
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