Finland’s personal doctor model takes different forms across regions

Finland’s omalääkärimalli (personal doctor model) is advancing nationwide, but its implementation varies by region, according to a report by Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The model aims to strengthen trust in patient care by ensuring doctors know their patients and their circumstances. However, in the Etelä-Savo wellbeing services county of Eloisa, a pure personal doctor system is not feasible due to a shortage of physicians relative to the population, said Anna-Sofia Simula, head of central social and healthcare services.

“There aren’t enough doctors for the number of residents, and high turnover can become a problem,” Simula said. She added that not all patients may have access to equally experienced doctors, and that Finland already faces inequalities in access to care compared to international standards.

Simula argued that regional differences should be better accounted for in public funding discussions for wellbeing services. In Etelä-Savo, 80% of the population uses public primary healthcare, compared to 30–40% in parts of the Helsinki metropolitan area. “It’s a completely different task to serve 80% of the population than 30%,” she said, noting that the public sector also bears much of the responsibility for long-term care of working-age patients.

Sara Launio, chief physician at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), said all wellbeing services counties have received funding to develop the personal doctor model and have committed to working on it for the next two years. She stressed that the goal is not to adopt a Central European-style “doctor with a bag” approach but to leverage Finland’s strengths, such as its multidisciplinary social and healthcare workforce.

Launio noted that team-based models and personal doctor models are not mutually exclusive. Team models, where a group of healthcare professionals serves a specific area, can support personal doctor systems by managing shifts, holidays, and substitute arrangements. She also highlighted that many regions are prioritising the model for those most in need before expanding it gradually.

The Finnish Medical Association has not committed to any single model, said Jukka Mattila, the association’s policy director. “What matters is that Finns can choose and, if necessary, change their doctor,” he said, adding that workload and patient volume must be managed from the doctor’s perspective.

Mattila dismissed concerns that the personal doctor model could lead to uneven distribution of expertise, as peer consultation and continuous training support professional skills. He noted that most European countries already use a personal doctor system, while Finland’s primary healthcare has “deteriorated exceptionally” since the 1990s recession.

In Etelä-Savo, a pilot project in Savonlinna divides the population geographically, with each area assigned a nurse-doctor pair. Simula said a €900,000 government grant will help address many challenges but is insufficient for full implementation. The region may adopt a hybrid model, with variations in how the system is applied, but all approaches will be built on a team-based foundation.

“What is certain is that we aim to improve continuity of care for long-term illnesses through established treatment relationships,” Simula said. “Otherwise, the model is still taking shape.”