Finland - Almost half of Finns think that their health services have become worse

Citation

(2009), "Finland - Almost half of Finns think that their health services have become worse", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 22 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2009.06222aab.008

Finland - Almost half of Finns think that their health services have become worse

Article Type: News and views From: International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Volume 22, Issue 1

Keywords: Quality healthcare, Healthcare technology, Healthcare personnel

Nearly half of Finns think that the availability of doctors and related services has worsened this decade. Equality is also lacking, instead the quality of medical care is dependent on how much you can pay. These results are revealed from a health care barometer published at Mikkeli.

The insufficiency of health care personnel received the strongest criticism. Only 2 per cent thought that there were enough personnel. According to Maija Perho, who is responsible for the health promotion policy programme of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the result is worse than previously estimated.

In addition to wealth, Finns think that the quality of medical care also depends on where a person lives and where he is treated. “Regional differences primarily affect how soon you get medical care,” Perho says.

The amount of staff will come to affect increasingly Finnish health care. “In the health care sector personnel turnover occurs with a lag. Indeed, an essential question is how there will be enough personnel in an aging Finland,” she says.

Perho sees the quality of health care services to be related directly to the wellbeing of personnel responsible for health care. “One of the most important questions has to do with improving well-being at the work place in the health care sector. For example the technology used in health care should be better utilised,” Perho says.

Most Finns are satisfied with the professionalism of health care procedures and decisions as well as in the correctness of the medication.

The listing of medical alternatives and doctor availability were considered the most problematic.

Over 1,000 Finns were asked in May of their experiences of the current state of health care for the barometer. TNS Gallup collected the data on behalf of the Lääketietokeskus (Medical data centre) and Sitra, among other parties.

For more information: www.helsinkitimes.fi