Introduction
The Finnish health care system
Finland has an excellent health care system which is funded mainly by taxes. The three-level public health system is complemented by a much smaller private health care scheme.
The Finnish public health care system consists of primary, secondary and tertiary health care. Each level of public health care represents the speciality of the treatment; i.e. primary health care includes preventive treatment or seeing your general practitioner, whereas tertiary health care refers to more advanced medical treatment.
If you live in Finland for more than four months you will be required to contribute to the national health insurance system. This automatically entitles you to free medical care in public health centres and hospitals, as well as payments for the cost of medicines, travel costs relating to medical treatment and dental care.
In terms of private health care, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland – known as Kela – helps people living in Finland by paying a portion of their fees for private medical care. Residents can obtain a Kela card from their local municipality and will then be entitled to claim reimbursement on some medical costs.
What to do in an emergency
In the event of an emergency, you should call 112 immediately to reach an ambulance, the police or the fire brigade.
Also in this section
- Introduction: The Finnish health care system
- Public health system: Health centres, doctors and dentists
- Hospitals: Public hospitals and specialised clinics
- Private treatment: Private health care in Finland
- Health insurance: Which health insurance do you need in Finland?
- Pharmacies: How to get medication in Finland
