Finland’s Virtual Care Evolution

Finland’s medical system has long been founded on universal access and high quality, but an aging population, rising costs, and a sprawling geography compelled the country to undertake a sweeping reform. In 2023, the integration of social and medical services at the regional level was completed, reducing administrative overhead and improving coordination between municipalities. At the same time, digital services—electronic prescriptions, online appointment booking, and tele-diagnostics—have gained increasing importance under the new framework.

This healthcare reform created a genuine need for telemedicine. The newly unified regional centers now oversee thousands of kilometers of northern and eastern territories where reaching a hospital can be challenging. Moreover, updated funding standards incentivize reducing in-person visits and shifting toward remote formats to ease the burden on outpatient clinics. This environment opened a niche for smaller, agile telemedicine providers capable of rapidly deploying virtual clinics and ensuring stable online consultations for patients nationwide.

Medilux — one of the first Finnish telemedicine companies, which since 2025 has been gradually expanding its network of virtual consultations. Unlike larger players, they don’t promise a “revolution”; instead, they focus on smoothly integrating video clinics where patients can receive care for more familiar and common conditions.

Initially, Medilux offered only consultations with general practitioners and family doctors for straightforward symptoms: colds, minor injuries, and repeat prescriptions. Over time, their services expanded to several key areas:

• Support for patients with type 2 diabetes. On Medilux’s secure platform, weekly self-monitoring reviews are conducted, and when needed a doctor demonstrates injection technique and discusses the Ozempic medication—no unnecessary hype, just like in a regular clinic, only online.

• Treatment of erectile dysfunction. Many men hesitate to visit a clinic in person, so Medilux offers a video consultation and direct delivery of prescriptions to the door. You can read more about their erectile dysfunction treatments on the site.

• Preventive care and weight assessment. Before the first appointment, patients calculate their body-mass index using the interactive BMI calculator and receive personalized diet and exercise recommendations.

Medilux operates on a simple principle: “If an issue doesn’t require a physical exam, why bring the patient to the hospital?” This approach saves time for both doctors and patients and reduces strain on clinics. All video sessions are encrypted according to the same standards used in major public systems, and results automatically feed into the electronic health record.

Currently, Medilux serves patients across Finland, even though it is still largely a pilot; the company expects these services to become standard practice within a year.

Thanks to the reform, Finland’s healthcare system is primed for further digital transformation: a hybrid model combining in-person and virtual visits will ensure maximum accessibility without compromising quality. As the Medilux example shows, tele-solutions are not merely an auxiliary tool but an integral part of modern healthcare delivery.