Poliklinikoita

Poliklinikoita, or poliklinikka (singular), are outpatient clinics that provide medical care without overnight hospital admission. They may be standalone facilities or part of a hospital, and their primary purpose is to offer specialized consultation, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up in a single setting. Poliklinikat typically house multiple medical specialties, such as internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, gynecology, dermatology and radiology, and are designed to handle referrals from primary care or other hospitals. They often provide access to diagnostic services like laboratory tests and imaging, as well as minor procedures, preventive care and rehabilitation services.

In many health systems, poliklinikat operate on an appointment basis, though some also offer limited walk-in hours. They aim to deliver comprehensive outpatient care, coordinate with primary care to ensure continuity of treatment, and reduce the need for inpatient admission or emergency department visits. Staffing usually includes physicians from various specialties, nurses, and allied health professionals, and many clinics use electronic health records and formal referral pathways to manage patient flow and record keeping. Financing and organization vary by country, with public health systems often funding outpatient care and private providers offering service fees or insurance-based payment.

In Finland, the term poliklinikka is used to describe outpatient units that deliver specialist care outside of inpatient wards. These clinics may be integrated with hospital services or operate as part of municipal health centers and private providers. They serve as a secondary care layer, handling specialist consultations, follow-up appointments, and diagnostic or therapeutic procedures that do not require hospital admission, and they typically receive referrals from general practitioners and public primary health services.