Outpatient care in primary healthcare were the most widely used health services in 2024

Eighty per cent of all 5.2 million healthcare clients used outpatient services (outpatient care) in public primary healthcare in Finland. 

In 2024, the total number of treatment events implemented as visits or remote contact in public primary health care was approximately 37 million.

The use of public primary health care outpatient services varied by wellbeing services county. The services were used the most in the wellbeing services county of South Savo (84 %) and the least in Helsinki (68 %).

Outpatient health care was the most used service form

The highest number of outpatient health care events in public primary health care (15.7 million) took place in 2024. Of the clients, 2.9 million were in outpatient health care, which was approximately 52 % of the population. 

Outpatient health care contacts with a physician decreased in 2024, but consultations increased.

Approximately 7.0 million treatment events were carried out in preventive services, 5.0 million in oral health care, 4.8 million in home nursing and home hospitals, 2.1 million in mental health and substance abuse services and 1.9 million in rehabilitation and support services.

About the data in more detail 

Background information

Source

Primary health care outpatient care statistics. The data is extracted from the Avohilmo register.

Description of the statistics

The primary health care outpatient statistics contain information on primary health care operations, such as outpatient visits and remote contacts in primary health care, customers, reasons for visits, procedures, follow-up treatment and infections. 

The statistics are based on data received from service providers, such as wellbeing services counties, which are usually submitted daily from patient information systems to the Avohilmo register. The data content of the statistics has expanded significantly from 2011.

The data of inpatient wards in primary healthcare are reported from the data in the Terveys-Hilmo register.

Update schedule

Of the database reports, the quick reports are updated daily and other reports are usually updated once a month. 

The statistical report is published annually from the previous year’s data. The publication schedule is indicated in THL’s publication calendar for statistics.

Statistics publications calendar

Contact details

Person responsible for the statistics: Kaisa Pyrhönen.
Contact requests primarily to avohilmo(at)thl.fi.