Finnish Medicine

Periodically I see offers on the Internet about medical tourism to Finland.

If earlier, I somehow did not pay attention to them, then after I came across this medicine myself , they somewhat puzzle me.

Finnish Hospitals image from website Heihei.ru — Photo © HeiHei.ru / Filmed with Samsung

What stereotypes push Russians to go to Finland? After all, even if you have read all our tips on how to travel economically , buy tickets in advance and know how find cheap insurance anyway, medical tourism will be very costly financially.

I have encountered the following: they say that in Russia they only want to rip off money from you, and the Finns are honest reliable people, they will not include an extra euro in the bill.

I partly agree with this. While everything is moving inside a formally prescribed relationship, they will not try to rip off excess from you, but as soon as you do something not so, there is a risk to spend more than planned.

I will give my example - I had to show my knee at the Hatanpaa clinic. (in the photo below)

How it all started

This was reported to me by a traumatologist at Terveystalo (this is the clinic with which the university has an agreement). I decided that I would get a call, or an SMS would come, as it happens in Terveystalo itself.

But no, one day I received a strange booklet in Russian, similar to an advertising one, and with it a couple more pieces of paper in Finnish. I didn't attach any importance, I decided to translate the papers later got into the "long box".

And it turned out that I was notified with this piece of paper that a date and time were assigned to me, and I had to come to the clinic. I missed the date, I had to pay 40 euros for it. I had to sign up again.

Now about the positive aspects. The atmosphere in the clinic is completely different.

There is no sense of hopelessness, which permeates all Russian medical institutions that I have visited.

In order for the Finnish doctor to understand you and make the correct diagnosis, you need explain everything to him in Finnish or English.

English is much easier to learn, especially since you can learn it without leaving home using sites like SkyEng , EnglishHome , Lingua Leo and many others.

Do not put off learning languages in a "long box" (like me with a receipt) so that you do not have to explain yourself to doctors later "on your fingers".

Formalities

Some overlays came out with the organization. I was booked for another appointment.

I warned that I was an absent-minded person, I would forget the date, I clarified whether I would receive an email like last time, or I could order an email notification. They said that you should not count on email, but they will send you a letter.

They didn't send it. Naturally, I put the receipt in my briefcase and forgot which one. They sent me an invoice for 40 euros again. I started corresponding with the manager, explaining what they promised to do differently and, surprisingly, it worked.

The polyclinic canceled the fine, for which I thank them very much. I doubt whether they will change their approach, but I am glad that at least they listen to customers.

You could have come up formally, you got the receipt in your hands, you didn't come, pay. But they didn't.

This article does not contain a clearly formulated message, Finnish medicine has both advantages over the Russian and disadvantages.

One thing we can say for sure - you need to think about everything properly before you go anywhere for medical services.

We wish you to go to hospitals as little as possible, lead a healthy lifestyle.