Medical Helpline 116 117

Please call Medical Helpline on number 116 117 before you go to an emergency clinic. In an emergency, call the emergency number 112 instead.

Medical Helpline is a service giving advice and guidance in matters regarding healthcare and social services. The Ministry of Social affairs and Health and the Hospital districts have together organised the Medical Helpline service. For now, Medical Helpline is used by the hospital districts of Southern Karelia, Helsinki and Uusimaa, and North Savo. Medical Helpline 116 117 is aimed to come into use in all parts of mainland Finland during 2019. 

On Medical Helpline 116 117, registered nurses from the acute healthcare services in your region will assess whether you need emergency care services or urgent care services, in accordance with the regional instructions they are following. Medical Helpline 116 117 will also give you general information and guidance on health problems that may require a visit to emergency care services. You can call Medical Helpline to get help from a professional and to find out whether you should seek care outside office hours.

You can also get information for sudden health problems from Päivystystalo, an online service operating in Finnish and developed by healthcare professionals. Päivystystalo offers advice for sudden health problems and for self-management of health, and gives instructions on how to seek care outside healthcare services’ normal weekday working hours.

More information (in Finnish)

Päivystysapu 116 117 (alueuudistus.fi, offers information on Medical Helpline and on the regional government, health and social services reform)
Päivystystalo (advice for self-treatment of health and guidance on how to seek care outside office hours)