Changes to the access to care provisions in the Health Care Act effective from 1 September 2023
Starting 1 September 2023, revisions to the Health Care Act will change the maximum waiting time guarantees for healthcare services. For outpatient care within primary healthcare care, the maximum waiting time will be 14 days after the assessment of the need for treatment. For oral health care, this waiting period will be four months post assessment. Furthermore, an assessment of the need for treatment must be conducted on the same day a patient contacts the healthcare services.
The maximum waiting time guarantee for outpatient care encompasses cases related to illnesses, injuries, exacerbated chronic illnesses, new symptoms, and declines in functional ability. The guarantee covers both physical and mental health concerns.
Implications for health centres
From 1 September 2023, health centres are mandated to provide primary non-urgent care within 14 days following a treatment need assessment. This assessment must be conducted on the same weekday the patient contacts the health care unit.
Assessments involve determining the individual’s need for treatment or examinations, gauging their urgency, and selecting the appropriate healthcare professional for their situation. In practice, accessing care may translate to an appointment with a nurse or a physiotherapist. Thus, fulfilling the waiting time guarantee does not always require a doctor’s appointment.
In the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County, the standard practice for healthcare professionals is to conduct treatment need assessments over the phone. While the majority of health centres meet the same-day assessment standard, there have been occasional delays with non-urgent assessments at some health centres. Our objective is to meet the maximum waiting time guarantee throughout the Wellbeing Services County for the remainder of the year.
In most scenarios, the initial assessment leads to a doctor’s consultation during the first interaction, which is then followed by a treatment plan. Thus, treatment often begins during this initial contact based on the assessed treatment needs.
Further information: