Health care for international staff

The general emergency number is 112. Call this number if you need help in case of a fire, sudden illness, traffic accident or other accident.

Downloading Suomi 112 app to your phone is strongly recommended.

Joensuu: North Karelia Central Hospital
Address: Tikkamäentie 16
Always call 116 117 before coming to the emergency clinic

Kuopio: Emergency Unit of the Kuopio University Hospital
Address: Puijonlaaksontie 2
Always call 116 117 before coming to the emergency clinic

Public healthcare is the responsibility of the municipalities. Municipal healthcare is provided at local health centres (terveyskeskus) and  district hospitals. Municipal healthcare in Finland is not free but the fees are affordable because medical care costs are generally paid by the patient's home municipality.

Who is entitled to use municipal health care services
Persons who have a municipality of residence (kotikunta) in Finland are entitled to use municipal health care services at the same client fees and under the same conditions as Finns.

Even if you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland, the Social Security Institute in Finland (Kela) may confirm your right to receive non-urgent treatment within public healthcare in following cases

• you are covered by health insurance in another EU country (e.g. European Health Insurance Card)
• you are working in Finland and are insured for earnings-related pension benefits, against employment accidents and unemployment in Finland.
• you come from a country that Finland has a social security agreement with

If you are not a permanent resident,  do not come from an EU Member State and are not insured in Finland, you will receive medically necessary treatment in case of an emergency, but otherwise you will have to use private medical services. Please note doctor's consultation and treatment are expensive. You are strongly advised to purchase a good medical, accident and travel insurance policy for yourself (and your family members) before your arrival in Finland.

How to make an appointment at the local health centre

Health centres are usually open Monday-Fri from 8.00 to 16.00. Health care is organised regionally, with each residential area having its own health centre and a GP and a nurse. A doctor's appointment at a health centre costs about €20.

Joensuu
See the phone number for booking an appointment at your nearest health centre here.

Kuopio
See the phone number for booking an appointment at your nearest health centre here.

Occupational health services provided by Terveystalo Ltd. are available for all staff members whose salary is paid by the University of Eastern Finland. Services are not available for those who work on a grant or as hourly paid teachers.

Occupational health care may be consulted on all kinds of diseases affecting ability to work. Dental care and treatment of leisure time accidents are not included in occupational health care.

Occupational health services are available on working days from Monday to Friday at 8:00–18:00 (8 am to 6 pm), not on weekends or public holidays. In a case of an emergency and outside office hours, please contact municipal health care or private health care providers.

For further information, please see the UEF Heimo (intranet) at https://studentuef.sharepoint.com/sites/heimo_en/services/occupational_health_care/Pages/home.aspx

Joensuu
Terveystalo Joensuu, Kauppakatu 21

Kuopio
Terveystalo Kuopio
On Campus: in Bioteknia Building , Neulaniementie 2 A, 2nd floor
In the city center: Asemakatu 22-24

You can also contact a private medical centre if you fall ill. Health care services provided by private medical centres are often more readily available but the services are considerably more expensive than public health care.

If you have a private health insurance it is recommended to use private medical centres.

You can get some idea of the service prices at https://www.terveystalo.com/en/customer/prices/

Joensuu:
Pihjalalinna ITE, Torikatu 25
Terveystalo Joensuu, Kauppakatu 21

Kuopio:
Mehiläinen,  Kauppakatu 39 A
Terveystalo, Asemakatu 22-24

When you become pregnant you should contact your nearest Maternity Clinic/ Prenatal Clinic  (äitiysneuvola).  Each family has a personal nurse and all the discussions with the nurse are confidential. There are 11-15 visits to the Maternity Clinic during a normal course of pregnancy. Most Maternity Clinics offer ultrasound scan at 12  to 16 weeks of pregnancy. Dads are welcome to attend each appointment at the Maternity Clinic.

Services of the Maternity Clinic are free of charge for those who have a municipality of residence (kotikunta) in Finland.

Remember to notify your employer of your absence

Remember to submit the Leave of absence form at least two months before you begin your maternity leave. A certificate issued by a doctor or a nurse on the duration of pregnancy must be enclosed with the application.

Child health care

When the baby is born, the local Child Health Centre (lastenneuvola) monitors the child's development and growth as well as vaccinates the child in accordance with the National Vaccination Programme from the birth until the school age. The families are given individual support in the child's upbringing and nurture. All conversations are confidential.

Services of Child Health Clinics are free of charge for all residents in Finland.

For contact information on maternity and child health clinics, please see

• Joensuu
• Kuopio 

See also

• Pregnancy and childbirth in Finland
• We are having a baby - A guidebook for expectant parents
• When you are expecting a baby
• Kela's checklist for expectant mothers and fathers
• When a child is born in Finland

Dental care is available in municipal health centres as well as in private health care clinics. Occupational health care services provided by UEF does not include dental care. 

If you are entitled to KELA benefits, Kela (The Social Insurance Institution in Finland) reimburses a part of the private dentist's fee.

There are various private dental clinics in Joensuu and Kuopio. You can find their contact details by searching "hammaslääkäri" (dentists) in the Internet. You can get some idea of the service prices at https://www.oral.fi/en/information/information-for-fustomers/prices/

For public oral and dental appointments, see

• Joensuu
• Kuopio

Supermarkets and grocery stores are not allowed to sell any kind of pharmaceutical medicine in Finland. Medicines are sold only at pharmacies/chemists (apteekki). For some medicine you need a doctor's prescription, some can be purchased without a prescription.

Pharmacies are usually open Mon-Fri 8:00/10:00-18:00/19:00; Sat 8:30/9:00-14:00/15:00.

There are several pharmacies around town but the University Pharmacy is easy to find and is open until late.

Yliopiston Apteekki, Joensuu (University Pharmacy)
Koskikatu 7
Opening hours daily from 8.00-23.00

Yliopiston Apteekki, Kuopio (University Pharmacy)
Address: Puijonkatu 23 (right by the market place "tori")
Opening hours: Daily 08:00-22:00

We sincerely hope that your stay in Finland will be happy and rewarding, without any adversities and hardships. But one can never know what will happen either here in Finland or to your family and friends abroad. Sudden and unexpected events can lead to crisis situations. These can be, for example, accidents, death of someone close, violence in the family, illness, difficulties in the relationship, homelessness, difficulties relating to different cultures and other surprising changes in life. There are also events relating to different stages and phases of life that are all part of the everyday life, but may cause a crisis situation.

You can call the Crisis Centre (also anonymously) if you need someone to listen. You can also make an appointment with a crisis worker.

Joensuu Crisis Centre
Address: Siltakatu 14 B 14, 2nd floor
E-mail: toimisto(at)pohjoiskarjalankriisikeskus.fi

Kuopio Crisis Centre
Kallanranta 9 (entrance from Sepänkatu 1)
Appointments (017) 262 7733, Mon – Fri  8 – 10

The Poison Information Centre answers questions concerning the prevention and treatment of acute poisonings every day, around the clock. The centre serves the whole of Finland by telephone and provides guidance to the public and to health care professionals.

Contact details:
Website of the Poison Information Centre
Tel. 0800 147 111  or 09 471 977

Health insurance

UEF's occupational accident insurance and the occupational health care services provided by the University of Eastern Finland do not cover leisure time accidents or any family members. Therefore, taking out a private health insurance for you and your family members is strongly recommended.

You are welcome to choose any reliable insurance broker or  contact international insurance providers such as

• Sip Insurance
• ACS
• Swisscare
• OP Pohjola (the only Finnish company providing insurance for non-Finnish speakers)

Occupational accident insurance for staff members

All staff members whose employment has continued nonstop for at least one month are insured by the University of Eastern Finland. The staff are covered by the University insurance at work, on their way to/from work and when travelling on business. For further details, please see the UEF Heimo (login required).

Insurance for researchers working on a grant

If you have a municipality of residence registered to you, you are entitled to use the public health care services and pay the same client fees as local residents.

However, if you don't have a municipality of residence in Finland or come from the EU countries, you are not entitled to use public health care services. As a temporary resident in Finland, you will receive acute treatment in a hospital in case of an emergency, but you will have to cover the full expenses yourself.

Grant recipients without a municipality of residence should primarily use health services provided by private health care centres. Private health services are considerably more expensive for the client than public ones.