hoitokelpoisia

Hoitokelpoisuus is a Finnish health and social care term that describes whether a person is eligible to receive care or treatment within a given service or setting. It is not a medical diagnosis, but a status used by health and welfare authorities and providers to determine access to specific services, such as hospital care, rehabilitation, long-term care, or dental and primary care.

Assessments of hoitokelpoisuus are context-dependent and can vary between institutions and regions. They typically involve professional evaluation by healthcare or social care staff, and may consider factors such as medical prognosis, potential benefit from the treatment, safety for the patient and others, ability to participate in care, and, where relevant, the patient’s consent or advance directives. In some cases, availability of resources and policy guidelines influence decisions, particularly in situations of limited capacity or prioritization.

Hoitokelpoisuus is distinguished from the need for care (hoidon tarve) and from the decision to initiate a specific treatment or intervention (hoitopäätös). A person may be deemed eligible for care in principle but still encounter barriers related to preferences, consent, or resource constraints. The concept is used to support equitable planning and documentation in care pathways, and it is subject to ethical considerations and professional judgment to ensure appropriate and justifiable access to care.