Health in Lahti

In Finland, the healthcare system works differently than in many other countries. You usually cannot book an appointment directly with a medical specialist. First, you need to visit a general practitioner (GP) or a nurse at your local health centre. If needed, they will give you a referral to a specialist.

You can book nurse and doctor appointments through public health and social services in the Päijät‑Häme area. Specialised care and hospital treatment are provided through central hospital services:

All information related to your healthcare visits is stored in MyKanta (in Finnish: OmaKanta). In MyKanta, you can:

• see doctor visit notes and diagnoses
• view lab test results
• manage prescriptions

If you prefer, you can also use private health services in Finland. This may be a familiar option if you are new to the Finnish healthcare system.

With private healthcare providers, you can usually book an appointment directly on the provider’s website without a referral. Some of the largest private healthcare providers in Lahti are Mehiläinen, Terveystalo, and Pihlajalinna.

Private healthcare is usually more expensive than public healthcare, especially if you do not have health insurance. However, it is often faster to get an appointment at a private clinic than at a public health centre.

If you are covered by Finnish national health insurance, Kela may reimburse a small part of the cost of private healthcare services. The amount of reimbursement is limited. For more information, see the Kela website.

Urgent care services are for situations where you need medical help quickly.

This includes sudden illnesses, injuries, complications related to long‑term conditions, or a sudden decline in your ability to function and cope at home.

If you need urgent medical advice in the evening, at night, or during the weekend, and the situation cannot wait until the next day, call the medical helpline 116 117. This service also provides advice for urgent dental care.

In all life‑threatening emergencies, call 112. Calls are free of charge, and you do not need to add an area code. The emergency number 112 is the same in all EU countries.

It is recommended to install the 112 Suomi mobile application. If you use the app, your location is sent automatically to emergency services.

In Finland, medicines are sold only in pharmacies (apteekki). You cannot buy prescription medicines in supermarkets or online stores.

Prescriptions in Finland are issued electronically. This means that your prescription is stored in a national system and can be used at any pharmacy in Finland with your ID.

If you are new to Finland, it is important to know that prescriptions from your home country cannot always be used in Finnish pharmacies. In some cases, you may need to visit a Finnish doctor to get a new prescription.

There are also rules about how much medicine you can bring with you when arriving in Finland. These rules depend on the type of medicine and the country you are coming from. It is important to check the rules carefully before you travel.