The possibility of choosing the health care professional who will treat you depends on your place of residence and care provider and the place of treatment. The choice of professional treating you depends on how your care can be appropriately delivered in your place of treatment. If you wish to be treated by a particular doctor, nurse or other legalised health and social services care professional, you may express your wish when making an appointment, for example.
If you are 65 or older, you can see a private general practitioner during the freedom of choice pilot from 1 September 2025 to 31 December 2027 at the price of the local user fee charged by public healthcare providers. You can get treatment and undergo examinations and tests at the prices listed for the pilot study only if you choose a general practitioner who is part of the freedom of choice pilot. On Kela`s website you can find more information on the freedom of choice pilot and search for medical clinics and customer service points that have been enrolled in the pilot study.Opens in a new window.
Please note that it is possible that your wish cannot always be fulfilled. In public healthcare, the patient’s freedom to choose the healthcare professional who will treat them is affected by various factors, such as pair work practices, the population responsibility and multidisciplinary team work. Thus, when you choose your doctor, you also choose the nurse working with him or her or the whole team treating you. Your choice may not be possible, however, if your health and social services centre's doctor or doctor-nurse team is unable to accept new patients within the constraints of their working hours.