Healthcare in Finland - statistics & facts
Everyone residing in Finland is entitled to the healthcare system. Access to public healthcare is part of the Finnish Constitution, where public authorities guarantee everyone adequate social, health, and medical services. Over the past years, the general government expenditure on healthcare increased, reaching 19.9 billion euros in 2022. In addition to public healthcare services, a variety of private healthcare services are available in Finland.
An opposite effect can be observed with the number of employees in Finland's health and social care sector. Since the early 2000s, the number of individuals employed in the health and social care sector has been increasing at a steady pace.
Demography
The average age of the Finnish population is around 43 years, showing an increasing trend. The number of people aged 60 and older has increased faster than the number of young people in recent years. According to the forecast, the total population of Finland is expected to grow until 2035 and decline steadily after that. The forecasted increasing age is also reflected in people’s expenses concerning healthcare. The per capita consumer spending on healthcare was forecast to continuously increase over the next years, reaching 1,781.52 U.S. dollars in 2029.Hospitals and healthcare professionals
The number of hospitals in Finland overall is declining. This trend appears even more drastic in the number of available hospital beds. Only half as many publically owned hospital beds available in 2021 as a decade earlier. The forecast on available hospital beds in Finland also predicts the decrease to continue. While in 2023 almost four beds were available per thousand people, this number was forecast to decrease to 2.92 beds in 2029.An opposite effect can be observed with the number of employees in Finland's health and social care sector. Since the early 2000s, the number of individuals employed in the health and social care sector has been increasing at a steady pace.
