Experience with Finnish public side doctor..

[madamekira]

Hi!
To be able to make a fair comparison, would like to know how many times have you visited a doctor in the US using the Public Healthcare.
- - Are you really comparing experiences from Finnish public healthcare with the public healthcare in the U.S. ?

Hello,

To answer your question, yes, the public side equivalent (county or city health centers would be closest) is all I have ever gone to, except when I was a teenager and had pretty good healthcare then. Beyond that age, I could not afford regular insurance (except once) and was forced to go to the local health center for my county where your fees are based on your income. I have had some odd experiences (back in the US), but I have never been in a situation where I was told to hurry up, that we didn't have time to even just talk about my problems or put them on paper, so to speak. The craziest situation I've dealt with in the US was probably a woman preaching her religion to me nonstop throughout the exam, and once I've dealt with a single quack doctor who wouldn't properly treat me for the issues I was having, but nothing else really comes to mind. Maybe I've just been incredibly lucky in that respect.. I wouldn't know. In any case, I am thankful to be able to go to public side, just I really feel that Finnish doctors might do well with some sortof social skills training if most of them do act this way. There are also other ways of 'hurrying' people without flat out telling them so as well. A little tact goes a long way.

Also, I am not necessarily saying US public side is better than Finnish (it's almost definitely not), I am just stating my personal experiences with both and wondering if others have dealt with the same.

[madamekira]

I
But I do know for instance where I live you see the doctor under which your postcode falls.
But maybe other "kunta" are different.

The fact that I was actually scared of the male doctor wasn't a good enough reason.

Being scared of the guy isn't a good enough reason? That is sad to hear. I have never been scared of a doctor, but they are supposed to be someone you can trust and confide in. Meh. Which reminds me, I think someone told me it's almost impossible to switch even if you have problems with the doctor in the public side?

Also, apparently there is a second type of doctor you can see (maybe a nurse practitioner or equivalent?) if you don't want to see an actual doctor? Apparently they deal with checkups, being sick, general stuff?

[madamekira]

I have had both good & bad experiences from both the private and public health care systems. I've had a doctor at Mehiläinen showing up late, being stressed out and visibly annoyed at me when I had to ask about the workflow after my doctor´s visit. If you get a foreigner coming to your office, you shouldn´t allow yourself to show your irritation if that person doesn´t know the Finnish system. I called Mehiläinen up later that day and got all the required info from the helpful lady at the switchboard. At other times, Mehiläinen has been great & no waiting times (that´s why people go there). I´ve mainly had good experiences at the public doctor´s the main problem is getting an appointment at all. I think in the public system, which health care center you´re going to can make a huge difference (their workload, budget, the general health level of their patients, etc).

To the OP: I´d suggest just trying again, and making sure you don´t get the same doctor this time.

Hey there,

Yeah, as mentioned, I went to Mehiläinen and had a pleasant experience there both times. I don't mind waiting, you do a lot of that back in the US, so I'm used to it. But the doctor at ML, very friendly, although her English was very broken, so we spent part of the time going back and forth between languages. My best experience in Finland probably was at the dentist, believe it or not. Despite being terrified of the needle going in my mouth, everyone was super friendly, talkative, etc.

[onkko]

I
But I do know for instance where I live you see the doctor under which your postcode falls.
But maybe other "kunta" are different.

The fact that I was actually scared of the male doctor wasn't a good enough reason.

Being scared of the guy isn't a good enough reason? That is sad to hear. I have never been scared of a doctor, but they are supposed to be someone you can trust and confide in. Meh. Which reminds me, I think someone told me it's almost impossible to switch even if you have problems with the doctor in the public side?

Also, apparently there is a second type of doctor you can see (maybe a nurse practitioner or equivalent?) if you don't want to see an actual doctor? Apparently they deal with checkups, being sick, general stuff?

Of course it isnt, if i cant ask "finnish white native male from my dialect area who arent ugly or scary" doctor withouth being accused racism and sovinism then it is. You get doctor what is available.