The goal of health care in Finland is to maintain and improve people's mental and physical functional capacity. The system is based on preventive health care and well-run, comprehensive health services.
Public health services are divided into primary health care and specialised medical and hospital care, arranged respectively by municipal health centres and hospital districts. Each municipality belongs to a particular hospital district.
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Access to health care |
Everyone residing in Finland is entitled to receive good
quality health care within set timeframes.
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Preventive services |
The primary goal of Finnish health policy is disease
prevention. Preventive services are provided by health
centres, child health clinics, school health care, student
health care and occupational health care.
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Primary health care |
Municipal health centre services include physical examinations, oral health, medical care, ambulance services, maternity and child health clinics, school and student health care and other basic services. |
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Specialised medical care |
Specialised outpatient and institutional treatment is provided by hospital districts. Diseases requiring highly demanding treatment are handled by regional arrangements or centrally according to a specific decree. Each hospital district contains a central hospital and other specialised units. There are five university hospitals. |
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Occupational health care |
Employers are responsible for providing employees with preventive health care and, as far as possible, medical care. |
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Private health care |
Used to supplement public health services. Private doctors' and dentists' fees and examinations are partially reimbursed. |
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Medicinal treatment and medical equipment |
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