Usually your treatment starts with a doctor's referral from the health care centre, occupational health care or a private doctor.
Once your referral has been processed at the hospital, you will be sent an admission letter to a clinic, examination or a ward. The letter gives details for the appointment time and where to sign in.
If the booked appointment is inconvenient, please let the hospital know as soon as possible. The appointment can be given to another patient.
Urgent consultation
Your treatment may also start by a consultation at the Accident and Emergency Department. Emergency care is provided for the patients in the order of urgency, no referral is required. Please note, however, Accident and Emergency Department care is for urgent and emergency cases only.
Freedom of choice
You can come to us for treatment regardless of your location in Finland after the freedom of choice was extended in compliance with the Health Care Act.
Access to care
Once you have a referral drawn up for special health care, the hospital will inform you about any further procedures within three weeks. Your possible first appointment will be with us within three months from receiving the referral at the hospital. At that appointment we will prepare a care plan for you. The necessary care procedure shall be initiated or implemented within six months of the health care decision, which is usually made at the first appointment or immediately based on the referral. In an urgent case, you shall be provided treatment immediately.
On the right side bar, you can see National Institute for Health and Welfare report of the implementation of treatment time guarantee in our hospital district in comparison to other hospital districts in Finland.
On the right, you find also information about access to treatment in each medical specialty in Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District.
Preparing for treatment
Advance preparation helps you with the actual care and treatment.
Take the following items with you to the hospital:
- The admission letter for consultation
- Kela card
- Child health clinic card for children under school-age
- Maternity card if you are pregnant
- Insurance information in case of an accident or occupational disease
- Up-to-date list of medication and pharmaceutical preparations you are taking
- Medicines you are taking (e.g. asthma inhaler, eye drops, insulin pen)
- Information regarding allergies and diet
- Contact details for your next of kin
- Personal aids
- If coming to a ward, your personal toiletries
- Slippers or similar indoor footwear
An escort is welcome to accompany you. Personnel advices you and the accompanying person in regard to his or her presence during procedures.
On most wards, storage for personal gear is limited. Leave larger amounts of money and valuable items home.
Coming to hospital
Come to the hospital as instructed in your admission letter. Patients requiring emergency care are admitted through the accident and emergency department and mothers giving birth through the maternity clinic. Emergency care units and maternity clinics are open around the clock.
Read the admission letter for medical consultation carefully. The letter informs you about when and where to go, where to sign in and how to prepare for your appointment or stay in advance.
Take with you the items listed in the letter. Please note, while in hospital, you are responsible for your personal items. Leave larger sums of money and valuables home, the hospital will not be responsible for them. If, due to your condition, you are not able to look after your items, the personnel will keep them safe for you.
Reserve enough time for your appointment at the clinic. Patients requiring emergency care may cause delays to the original schedule.
If you cannot keep your appointment
If you cannot keep your appointment, please inform the unit who sent the admission letter without delay to free up the service for another patient to go in your place. If you miss you appointment and neglect to cancel it, you will be charged a no-show fee in compliance with the respective decree.
Infectious disease, runny nose, cough or temperature are usual causes for the postponement of an operation or special examination or tests.
If you cannot keep your appointment
If you cannot keep your appointment, please inform the unit who sent the admission letter without delay to free up the service for another patient to go in your place. If you miss you appointment and neglect to cancel it, you will be charged a no-show fee in compliance with the respective decree.
Infectious disease, runny nose, cough or temperature are usual causes for the postponement of an operation or special examination or tests.