Who is this guide for?
This guide is for you if you want to understand how public healthcare works in Finland and where to contact first.
It is especially useful if you have moved to Finland, do not yet know your regional services, or need sign language interpreting in healthcare matters. This is not medical advice.
How healthcare works in Finland
In Finland, public healthcare is part of the wider health and social services system. The practical route usually starts from your regional service, not from a ministry or national agency.
Basic healthcare route
Step 1
Find out which wellbeing services county or Helsinki service is responsible for your area
This is the next point in the route.
Step 2
Contact the health centre or service indicated by your region
This is the next point in the route.
Step 3
The service assesses your need for care and urgency
This is the next point in the route.
Step 4
You receive an appointment, advice, further instructions or referral to another service
This is the next point in the route.
Step 5
After the contact, check records, prescriptions and instructions in MyKanta
Check your situation before the next action.
The purpose of Healthcare Guide is to explain the authority and service path. It does not assess symptoms, diagnoses or treatment.
Who organises healthcare?
Public health services are usually organised by the wellbeing services county. Helsinki organises its own health and social services, and HUS is connected especially to specialised healthcare in the Uusimaa region.
Wellbeing services county
Organises most public health and social services in its region.
Health Centre
For many people, this is the first practical contact for ordinary healthcare matters.
National services
Kanta, Kela, THL and Fimea support the system in their own roles, but they are usually not the first place for booking a doctor's appointment.
What are wellbeing services county, Helsinki and HUS?
Wellbeing services county means the regional authority responsible for public health and social services in its area.
Helsinki is not part of a wellbeing services county in the same way as other areas, but organises its own health and social services. HUS is connected especially to specialised healthcare in Uusimaa.
If you do not know who is responsible for your services, start from your address and regional service guidance. If municipality of residence or address details are unclear, DVV records may affect which service is the right one.
What do Kela, MyKanta, THL and Fimea do?
• Kela handles matters such as sickness-related benefits, medicine reimbursements, rehabilitation and interpreting service for persons with disabilities. • MyKanta is the national service where you can view your health and social welfare data, prescriptions and laboratory results. • THL provides information, guidance, statistics and expert support, for example on public health and vaccinations. • Fimea is connected to medicines, pharmacies, supervision and safety in the pharmaceutical sector.
Different roles
The health centre helps you access care. Kela handles benefits and reimbursements. MyKanta shows records. THL and Fimea support the system in expert and supervisory roles.
Where should I contact first?
If the matter is not an emergency, usually start from your local health centre or the digital or phone service indicated by your wellbeing services county.
If the matter is urgent but not immediately life-threatening, use your regional urgent-care guidance. In many situations, 116117 gives advice before you go to urgent or emergency care. In an emergency, call 112.
What is not part of Healthcare Guide?
Healthcare Guide does not tell you what illness you have, which medicine to take or which treatment is suitable. Those questions belong to healthcare professionals.
This section does not diagnose, compare doctors or give treatment recommendations. The goal is to understand the system and find the right official service.
If you need a sign language interpreter
If you need a sign language interpreter in healthcare matters, arrange interpreting as early as possible. Tell the service what communication you need and ask for important instructions in writing as well.
Kela's interpreting service for persons with disabilities is a separate service that requires a Kela decision. Later in Healthcare Guide, interpreting and accessibility will be explained as its own step.