Let me tell you about my first encounter with the medical system here in Finland. It was last Monday, and it was quite an experince. First, I had to call for appointments. That was pretty painless at first as there is a line to call in English. Problem is that I was transferred to another line that could better help me, but that line had an automated system that was not in English. Flusstered, I contacted Sanna who is very helpful about all things Finnish, and long story short, I made two appointments for Monday.
First I had to find the offices, then I made my husband go with me on the weekend to do a dry run since it was going to require unfamiliar tram and metro use. He was good about doing it, and I felt much more confident about my new adventure.
Next came my appointment day. The first was with a neurologist at 12:00. I went to the building, an not able to read the directory, I picked the first of two floors labled with the name of the Hospital system. Big mistake! I walked up to the outter glass door, and looked in. The building was round, and all I could see were doors. Door after door after door, close together and with no end. As I stood there contemplating whether I should enter, the outter door clicked open as if I were being buzzed in. I took it as a sign and entered. I went up and down the hallway and found only closed doors...lots of doors, but no reception area and no people. I went to leave as this was clearly not where I wanted to be, and the door was locked! Now what? After a few minutes I decided to push a button next to the door, hoping it would call someone or something, and it released to door. Relieved, I went to the next floor.
On that floor I was confronted with the familiar glass outter door, but this time I could see a reception-like desk with people...hallelujah! I went in, took a number (a system you see pretty much everywhere here) and waited to ask if I was in the right place. I was asked which doctor I was there to see, and knowing I could never pronounce it on my best day, I showed her the doctor's name as it had been spelled for me. I was told to go down the hall and wait at door number 134. I did so and watched the door for my name to be called. As I watched the door, a man came and entered, then left a note on the door and went away. The note was in Finnish. Fortuneately, a woman came up to me, asked who I was and told me the room had been moved to number 4...so off I went to wait at number 4.
When I was finally called, on time I might add, I went in to this small room and spoke with the doctor. My records were of little use to him as they were in English, and his English was not very strong. We finally reached the conclusion that he couldn't help me and I should see another type of doctor. Upon checking out, I discovered that despite the fifteen minutes he had spent with me, there was no charge since he could not help me. That would never happen in the USA, and although I was dissappointed by the result, I was impressed by the fact that I was not charged.
My next apointment was at 17:00 (5:00pm). This was with a Rheumotologist, and having figured out the system, there was little trouble in finding where I should be. I was sent to the apropriate door to wait, and called, on time, to speak with the doctor. His English was quite good, and he looked over my records, did his thing, and all was well with the world.
I'm still a bit mystafied by how all this works. There was no follow-up appointment made, and it seems that one does not see a specialist without a specific complaint. I am puzzled by who will receive my bloodwork when I get it, and how I will be notifed if it is not all right, but I will find all this out in time. I have three more doctors to see, and will make those appointments this week probably. All in all, it was a good experience, though all those doors made me feel like I was in a "Twilight Zone" episode. I think however that I will like the system once I fully understand it.
As a final note, my new Finnish doctor says that it is all right for me to drink alchohol (in strong moderation) on the drug that my American doctor told me that I should never drink while taking. I choose to believe my new Finnish doctor...after all, when in Rome....
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