What is this?
Emergency medical assistance 116117 is a 24-hour service targeted at urgent health problems. Medical Helpline can provide advice on sudden health problems that are not emergencies, particularly during emergency department hours. Residents are advised to call 116117 before they come to the emergency department. It is also possible to ask for treatment instructions and advice on sudden health problems. The health care professional assesses the resident’s need for treatment and directs the resident to the right place of treatment with the right degree of urgency or provides self-treatment instructions. Calling Medical Helpline 116117 is free of charge. In an emergency, always call the emergency number 112.
Medical Helpline 116117 is currently a telephone service. In the future, the wellbeing services counties will offer chat and remote reception services in addition to the telephone service. The Medical Helpline service is provided by wellbeing services counties and the City of Helsinki. DigiFinland Oy coordinates its national development.
The service is available everywhere in Finland, with the exception of Lapland and Åland. The service covers 97% of all Finns.
Who are involved in the cooperation?
The Medical Helpline 116117 service has national cooperation networks that enable the development of national practices, exchange of information and sharing of good practices between regions. Representatives of wellbeing services counties, the City of Helsinki, service providers and stakeholders have been invited to participate in our national cooperation networks.
What we do operate?
DigiFinland offers its expertise in the implementation, maintenance, development and communication to regions providing the Medical Helpline 116117 service. In addition, DigiFinland is developing the Medical Helpline online service to better meet the needs of residents and wellbeing services counties.
DigiFinland owns the telephone number 116117 and manages the interconnecting telecommunications framework agreement for the Medical Helpline.
Where are we currently?
The Medical Helpline online service, 116117.fi, was updated in December 2022. The updated online service makes it possible to inform residents more precisely about the operation of the regional service. DigiFinland will continue to develop 116117.fi in 2024. In 2024, it will be possible to include a chat in the online service provided by wellbeing services counties.
In 2023, the interconnecting traffic for 116117 was tendered out again, and the new agreement entered into force at the beginning of 2024. A new joint public procurement was established for the procurement. As a result of the retendering process, the price of telecommunication services decreased significantly.
Want to hear more?
Mira Vidén
specialist, Medical Helpline 116117
mira.viden(at)digifinland.fi
paivystysapu(at)digifinland.fi