Exploring Finland’s Innovative Healthcare System: Minister of Health to Visit Helsinki University Hospital

To learn about Finland’s experience in providing healthcare and disease prevention, Minister of Health Hosam Abu Meri will meet Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso on a working visit to Finland on Friday, April 19 (Kaisu Juuso)Minister of Social Security Sanni Graan-Låsonen (Sanni Grahn-Laasonen) and other officials in the Finnish health department. As part of the working trip, it is planned to discuss and get to know the reforms made by Finland in the field of health care and to visit the Helsinki University Hospital.

The Minister and representatives from the Ministry of Health will be familiar with the Finnish health and social care systems, experience in the digitization of the health sector and the promotion of electronic patient data exchange, as well as the reform of hospitals and emergency services.

Finland and Denmark are the only countries in Europe with one of the longest life expectancies in Europe and it continues to rise. In 2023, Finland reformed the health care system, and as a result of which health care is decentralized, it is organized by 22 Health Service Counties. Each of the benefit service areas belongs to one of five collaborative areas organized around five university hospitals that focus on tertiary level service delivery. Minister of Health Hosam Abu Meri will visit one of them – Helsinki University Hospital – personally.

The Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is the most important decision-making body, but the counties are basically responsible for providing health care to their residents. In addition to the health care services of these cities, employers must also offer occupational health services to their employees, so that employees can choose which of the two routes to use. Health care services are also provided by the private sector. Funding is centralized at national level, with several sources of funding for services, including private funding.

The Finnish health database is fully digitized and stores population health data, making it one of the most comprehensive databases in the world. The created strategy envisages the creation of such digital services that encourage and help people to become actively involved and maintain their health, well-being and work capacity.