Lapland patient transfers surge as ward closures force long Kela-taxi trips

The Lapland Wellbeing Services County (Lapha) is closing hospital wards to save €8 million, forcing patients to travel hundreds of kilometres by Kela-funded taxis for treatment.

Joni Kallojärvi, a 41-year-old from Tervola with advanced lung cancer, already makes frequent long trips. In January, he was transferred from Rovaniemi to Sodankylä due to capacity issues, racking up €400 in taxi fares in a single month. His annual deductible—six rides or €300—was exhausted by February, leaving taxpayers to cover the rest.

“It’s a waste of money. The situation is catastrophic,” Kallojärvi said.

Acting head nurse Piia Mäkelä of Lapha confirmed patient transfers are now routine, though exact numbers fluctuate seasonally. She said patients are placed in the nearest suitable facility, and unnecessary transfers are avoided.

Tervola’s ward will close at the end of July as part of a phased reduction in inpatient beds across Lapland, set to continue until the end of 2028. Mäkelä said ward closures are offset by new home hospitals, including one opening in Tervola in September, offering acute care either at patients’ homes or in dedicated facilities.

Yet the closures also increase costs. Mäkelä acknowledged that transfers and inappropriate placements—such as patients boarding in emergency departments—generate expenses that offset the savings.

Tervola-based Kela-taxi driver Ari Ollitervo, who frequently transports patients to Rovaniemi and beyond, said the policy burns public funds on the road. “There’s no logic to it from our perspective either,” he said.

Kallojärvi praised the work of medical staff but said Lapland’s wards are already overcrowded. Mäkelä disputed this, stating that while beds may occasionally be full, such cases are exceptions, not the rule.