Finland

1. Is the paediatric practice public or private?
In Finland, the paediatric practice is mostly public. In the biggest cities, private paediatric services are available.

2. Is it mandatory?

The communes are responsible by law to provide health services to their inhabitants. This includes services for children. The communes can arrange the services by themselves or buy them from outsider organizations.

3. Is the paediatric practice only confided to paediatrician or can a general practitioner take it in charge?

General practitioners (GPs) are taking care of the primary health care
including children care. GPs are also allowed to provide health care to children in private practice but most of the time, this is taken in charge by paediatricians.

4. Lists of paediatric centres / associations

In Finland, there are five University Hospitals (Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Kuopio, Oulu) with paediatric units in Finland, which serve as tertiary centres.
In addition there are fifteen Central Hospitals with paediatric departments serving as secondary centres. Some minor hospitals (regional hospitals) have also paediatric services, mostly outpatient units.

• Finnish Paediatric Society
  Rheumatism Foundation Hospital
  Pikijarventie 1
  FI-18200 Heinola
  Finland
  Phone: +358-50 4086 448
  Fax: +358-9-471-76712
  Email: kristiina.aalto@hus.fi
  www.saunalahti.fi/sly

•  AEPC
   Association for European Paediatric cardiology
   Eero Jokinen, MD PhD
   AEPC Secretary-General
   Hospital for Children and Adolescents
   University of Helsinki
   P.O. Box 281
   00020 Helsinki
   Tel: +358-9-4717 0301
   Fax: +358-9-4717 4706
   tuula.eero.jokinen@kolumbus.fi