While doctors and nurses in Finland almost universally speak excellent English, the reception desks, booking systems, and signage do not always accommodate English speakers. Knowing the specific Finnish terminology is essential for routing yourself to the right building and the right department.
The Health System
| Purpose | Finnish Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Health Station / Local Clinic | Terveysasema | The equivalent of a GP surgery. Your starting point for general health, but bad for specialist STI swabs. |
| Emergency Department | Päivystys | Where you go for PEP outside normal hours. |
| Hospital | Sairaala | e.g., Haartmanin sairaala. |
| Venereal Diseases Outpatient Clinic | Sukupuolitautien poliklinikka | The specialist STI clinic. This is where you go for full testing panels. |
| Infectious Diseases Clinic | Infektiopoliklinikka | The hospital department that handles PrEP prescriptions and HIV care. |
| The Social Insurance Institution | Kela | The agency that reimburses your medical costs and makes PrEP/PEP free. |
Digital Health Portals
Finland's healthcare is highly digital. You will need strong electronic identification (like Finnish bank credentials) to use these.
| Portal | What it is |
|---|---|
| OmaKanta (Kanta) | The national digital health record. Every test result, prescription, and doctor's note from both public and private clinics goes here. |
| Maisa | The specific patient portal for Helsinki, Vantaa, Kauniainen, and Kerava (HUS region). You use this to book appointments and view local test results. |
Sexual Health and Testing
If you are using a translation app or booking a test online, use the exact Finnish medical term for the infection to avoid confusion.
| Purpose | Finnish Term |
|---|---|
| Chlamydia | Klamydia |
| Gonorrhea | Tippuri |
| Syphilis | Kuppa |
| HIV test | Hiv-testi |
| Blood test | Verikoe |
| Urine test | Virtsakoe |
| Throat swab | Nielunäyte |
| Rectal swab | Peräsuolinäyte |
| Asymptomatic (no symptoms) | Oireeton |
| Referral (what you need from a health station to see a specialist) | Lähete |
HIV, PrEP, and PEP
| Purpose | Finnish Term |
|---|---|
| PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) | PEP (Altistuksen jälkeinen estolääkitys) |
| PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) | PrEP (Altistusta edeltävä estolääkitys) |
| HIV positive / negative | HIV-positiivinen / -negatiivinen |
| Undetectable | Ei havaittavissa |
| Infectious disease outpatient clinic | Infektiopoliklinikka |
Key Phrases
| Purpose | Finnish Term |
|---|---|
| Does anyone speak English here? | Puhuuko täällä joku englantia? |
| Full STI screen — throat, rectal, and urethral swabs | Haluaisin täydellisen sukupuolitautitestauksen — nielunäyte, peräsuolinäyte ja uretranäyte sekä verikoe. |
| Anonymous HIV test | Haluaisin tehdä anonyymin HIV-testin. |
| I'm on PrEP — need my three-month monitoring | Käytän PrEP-lääkitystä ja tarvitsen kolmen kuukauden seurantakäynnin. |
| I want to start PrEP | Haluaisin aloittaa PrEP-lääkityksen. |
| HIV exposure — I need PEP — within 72 hours | Minulla on ollut HIV-altistusriski. Tarvitsen PEP-lääkityksen. Alle 72 tuntia on kulunut. |
| I have an EHIC card | Minulla on eurooppalainen sairaanhoitokortti (EHIC). |
| I need help | Tarvitsen apua! |
| Call an ambulance | Soittakaa ambulanssi! |
Emergency Numbers
| Number | Service |
|---|---|
| 112 | Emergency (ambulance, fire, police) |
| 116 117 | Non-emergency urgent medical advice (Päivystysapu) |
Related: