Hoitojakso

Hoitojakso is a Finnish term used in health and social security contexts to describe a defined period during which an individual receives medical treatment or care due to illness or injury. The concept covers various forms of structured care, including inpatient hospital treatment, outpatient procedures, home care, rehabilitation, and other treatment programs. A hoitojakso is characterized by being a finite, plan-defined interval rather than an open-ended time.

In Finnish administrative practice, hoitojakso is widely used in documentation and decision making by healthcare providers and by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela). The start and end of a hoitojakso are typically determined by a treatment plan or care protocol prepared by a clinician and may be revised as the patient’s condition evolves. The concept helps organize and communicate the course of care across different services and actors in the health system.

During a hoitojakso, services may include medical examinations, therapies, medications, nursing care, and rehabilitation activities. The length of a hoitojakso varies according to diagnosis, treatment modality, and patient response; some periods are short, while others extend over weeks or months. In some contexts the period can be subdivided into sub-jaksot, such as acute treatment, recovery, or rehabilitation phases.

Hoitojakso also serves administrative purposes in sickness insurance and rehabilitation processes, aiding the assessment of benefits, reimbursements, and eligibility. Clinically the priority remains patient care, while administratively the hoitojakso provides a framework for planning and financing the services delivered.

See also: Kela, sairausvapaa, kuntoutusjakso, hoitokokonaisuus.