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Patient education in Finland
1Department of Public Health, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 1, 20520, Turku, Finland. ansa.ojanlatva@utu.fi
Patient Education and Counseling
|June 8, 2001
Summary
Patient education in Finland lacks mandated policies, with efforts being local and practical. While aligned with WHO strategies, formal patient education strategies and shared decision-making initiatives are still developing.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Policy
- Patient Education
Background:
- Patient education in Finland is characterized by a lack of centralized, mandated policies and procedures.
- Historically, health education has been integrated into maternal care and dental appointments.
- Hospital-based patient education exists but often lacks official institutional policies or strategic frameworks.
Observation:
- Efforts in patient education are predominantly local and practical, often driven by voluntary agencies.
- Finland aligns with the World Health Organization (WHO) 2015 health strategies, emphasizing broad public participation.
- Recent initiatives like the Seamless Macro Project and Path-project focus on shared decision-making but are short-term.
Findings:
- Patient education is frequently conflated with general health education.
- Professional skills, ethics, norms, and existing legislation (particularly the Patient Status and Rights Law) guide current practices.
- The Patient Status and Rights Law mandates finding acceptable alternative treatments if a patient rejects a proposed one.
Implications:
- There is a need for formalized patient education policies and strategic planning within Finnish healthcare.
- Developing structured approaches to patient education can enhance patient empowerment and adherence to treatment.
- Integrating shared decision-making models more robustly could improve patient-centered care and outcomes.