If you’re spending time in Finland, as a resident or a long-term visitor, it’s important to know what your healthcare options are for when the need arises. That means knowing about the hospitals you will have access to nearby. Here is a guide to be certain you’re able to find the best hospitals in Finland.
How Many Hospitals Are There In Finland?
As of 2017, there were 247 hospitals in Finland. This is actually the lowest number the country has had in a decade. The vast majority of hospitals in Finland are public, with just a small portion being private. Hospitals are overseen regionally. There are 21 hospital districts, the largest of which has about 30 hospitals.
The entire system of healthcare in the country is very decentralized, organized on three distinct levels, all publicly funded. In this three-tier system, the federal government is responsible for many of the policies and guidelines, while municipalities are primarily responsible for providing actual healthcare.
While the ratio of doctors to Finnish residents is low for a Scandinavian country: 2.7 for every thousand people, Finland nonetheless provides high-quality healthcare to all of its residents. The excellent ratio of nurses (9.6 nurses per 1000 people) and the emphasis that the healthcare system places on nursing is likely responsible for this.
List of Hospitals in Finland
University Hospitals
Finland has four university teaching hospitals. These offer the country’s latest in high-tech medicine and innovation. They are located in the largest cities in the country.
Tohtoritalo 41400 Hospital
Yliopistonkatu 17-19 Turku 20100
Finland
Tel: + 358 2 414 00
Fax: + 358 2 414 625
Is Healthcare in Finland Free?
While Finland does offer its residents universal healthcare, it is not free. The vast majority of funding for the healthcare system comes from taxes collected by municipalities. However, another contributing source of funding comes from collecting fees from patients. The maximum fees that municipalities can charge for services are set by The Act and Decree on Social and Health Care Client Fees.
For instance, in 2020-2021 the maximum fee for seeing a primary care doctor is 20.60 euros. A person can only be charged this a maximum of three times per calendar year, after that, the fee is waived. Additionally, there is a maximum amount a person can pay in out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, and once that is exceeded no additional fees will be charged. Exceptions to fees are made for low-income households.
Yes, Finland has excellent healthcare. One barometer by which Finland distinguishes itself is satisfaction. Finland is in the top 5 countries in terms of satisfaction with their healthcare system with 88% of those surveyed saying they were satisfied with the country’s healthcare. This is as opposed to an EU average of 71% satisfaction.
One of the main focuses of Finnish healthcare is prevention and public health initiatives that encourage preventative medicine. This has had a great deal of success, raising life expectancy considerably over the last few decades. Currently, women have an average life expectancy of 84 years, while men’s is 78.
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