More than 70 per cent of occupational health agreements include medical care

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health press release 7 November 2024

Most occupational health agreements are comprehensive, as 74 per cent of agreements also include some medical care services. Approximately one in four workplaces have agreements that only cover statutory, preventive occupational health care. 

"The goal of occupational health care is to provide services to the working population within its scope in an equitable manner and to ensure the availability of services for all. However, equality does not mean the same services for everyone. Instead, the services must primarily be based on the needs of each workplace and its personnel," explains Leading Specialist Sari Nissinen.

Satisfaction among organizational clients of occupational health care is clearly lower than among individuals, which indicates the need to develop collaboration between occupational health care and employers. This is particularly important in small workplaces, which make up the majority of the organizational clients of occupational health care units. Two out of three clients are workplaces with ten or fewer employees. 

Room for improvement in occupational health co-operation processes

Differences in quality and shortcomings in relation to good occupational health care practice were observed in the process instructions used for steering occupational health care.

"Key processes for effective occupational health co-operation include, workplace surveys and planning operations. The related process instructions should be improved," says Medical Specialist Tom Oikarinen. 

Consistent process instructions could improve the quality of occupational health care, increase client satisfaction and make processes more efficient. 

Slight increase in number of occupational health care personnel

The number of professionals working in occupational health care in 2023 was slightly higher than in 2018. The number of physicians seems to have decreased slightly, but among them, the proportion of occupational health care medical specialists and those undergoing specialization has increased. 

There were more nurses and social sector specialists than before. With regard to physiotherapists, the situation has remained almost unchanged. 

The number of psychologists has increased significantly, but the proportion of occupational psychologists qualified in occupational health care has decreased.

Review on the operations and quality of occupational health care

• The review ("Työterveyshuollon toiminta ja laatu Suomessa 2023") is based on a survey targeted at occupational health care units, which was now carried out for the tenth time. The previous review was carried out in 2018. 
• The information in the review was collected from occupational health care service providers at the beginning of 2024. Data was obtained from 331 occupational health care units.
• Not all data was obtained from all units, which affects the generalizability of some results. 
• Read the review in Julkari (in Finnish).
  
  

Further information

• Sari Nissinen, Leading Specialist, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, sari.nissinen@ttl.fi, +358 43 825 2435
• Tom Oikarinen, Medical Specialist, The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Tom.Oikarinen@ttl.fi, +358 40 736 4801
• Tiina Kauranen, Senior Specialist, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Tiina.Kauranen@ttl.fi, +358 40 771 2118