Statistics from the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL): Differences in waiting lists between healthcare districts

At the end of December 2016, 115,823 patients were waiting for access to treatment at the hospitals of healthcare districts, and almost 2,000 of them had been waiting for non-urgent treatment for more than six months, says a THL statistics report.

The fastest access to non-urgent special medical treatment was available in Southwest Finland and Satakunta. Both in terms of numbers and per head of population, the highest numbers of people waiting for treatment for more than six months were in the hospital districts of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS), Kanta-Häme and Satakunta. In HUS, the number of people waiting for treatment for more than six months was 1,092. Most of them, 620 patients, were waiting for access to special treatment for eye disorders.

The demand for non-urgent care has increased in hospital districts. Last year, more than 1 million referrals were processed, which is 5% more than the previous year. Non-urgent care means treatment and advice proven to be necessary from a point of view of medical care, dental care or health care, which must be organised and begun within a reasonable time frame, taking into account the urgency required for the treatment. In special healthcare, treatment should be provided within six months of when the need for treatment was ascertained and, with regard to mental health services for children and young people, within no more than three months.

Read more about the availability of treatment and the maximum times for access to treatment.

THL statistics report (in Finnish):