Waitlists exceed 166,000 for non-urgent healthcare in North Savonia, Finland

In August, over 166,000 patients were on waiting lists for non-urgent specialized healthcare in various welfare regions. Among them, approximately 31,000 individuals had been waiting for more than six months, which violates healthcare regulations stating that patients should receive timely care, ideally within six months of their need being identified. The longest waiting times were reported in North Savonia, where waitlists have increased since last year.

Health authorities previously mandated that wait times in North Savonia must comply with legal requirements by the end of March. The accumulation of treatment backlog began during the pandemic when the University Hospital of Kuopio was compelled to redirect resources to COVID-19 patients, leading to the postponement of non-urgent procedures.

Currently, the longest waits are in orthopedic surgery, ophthalmology, and gastroenterology. If a patient in North Savonia were to join an orthopedic surgery waitlist today, they could expect a wait exceeding six months. While health authorities have yet to impose fines related to these waiting times, the situation is being monitored, with evaluations planned for after March.

The staff shortage exacerbates the wait times, prompting efforts to decrease inpatient care in order to reallocate staff more effectively. Innovations, like short-stay post-operative care in orthopedics, aim to streamline processes for patients.

If a welfare area cannot provide timely care, it must arrange treatment outside its jurisdiction. Many patients currently travel to South Savonia, where waiting times are shorter, with about half of the joint replacement surgeries performed at Savonlinna Hospital being from outside the region. The resolution of these issues might require collaboration across welfare areas, particularly in orthopedic surgeries and ophthalmology, as financial constraints impact service delivery.