Steps of the examination visit

A physician’s referral is always required for laboratory and imaging examinations in public healthcare services. The referring physician and care unit will guide you on how to proceed with the referral. 

Laboratory examinations are always performed according to the instructions provided by the care unit. The referral is issued for a specific date, around which the samples should be taken. Depending on the system, a laboratory referral remains valid from six months to one year. It is important to follow the care unit’s instructions to ensure smooth diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of your condition. 

There is no officially defined validity period for X-ray referrals. In practice, one year is generally considered the standard. However, for accurate interpretation of  X-ray images, it is essential that the referral contains up-to-date information about the patient’s condition. In cases of infrequent follow-up (i.e. certain cancer controls), the referral remains valid for the duration of the follow-up interval, unless there are changes in the patient’s condition. 

With a referral from a private healthcare provider, it is usually possible to access public laboratory services, but generally not imaging examinations. 

Laboratory and imaging examinations can be accessed either by appointment or without an appointment. If you can attend examination without an appointment, you will receive instructions for this. Appointment procedures vary by city, units, and type of examination. 

For some examinations, you can book an appointment yourself online or by phone. Alternatively, the referring unit or examination unit may book the appointment for you and notify you by letter. 

Hospitals and health centres have different practices regarding parking, signage, and opening hours. These practical details are usually available on your local healthcare provider’s website or in the arrival instructions sent with your appointment letter. 

Bring your Kela card, driver’s licence, or other valid ID when you come for the examination. 

Registration for the examination vary between health centres and hospitals. There may be several information or registration desks. Some laboratory and imaging units use self registration devices. 

Laboratory and imaging examinations are an essential part of diagnosing, treating, and monitoring many illnesses. 

You can find extensive and practical information about different examinations on your local healthcare provider’s website and on the Health Village Examinationhub. Many examinations also have dedicated patient instructions that provide detailed and important information: how to prepare, what happens during the examination, and how you will receive the results. 

 Always review the patient instructions you receive carefully and well in advance of your examination. 

Interpreting laboratory and imaging results requires specialised expertise. The person performing the examination or collecting the sample is usually not the one who interprets the results. 

Results are sent to the physician who referred you for the examination. Most laboratory results are delivered without a separate report. Interpretation of laboratory results depends on the reason for the referral. Often, results are assessed against reference ranges (“normal values”), but in some cases, interpretation is more complex and requires the judgement of the referring physician. 

Imaging results are always interpreted by a radiologist. 

Your physician or nurse will schedule a time with you on how and when you will receive your results: during a consultation, by letter, phone, or online via MyKanta. When your physician or nurse refers you for examinations, you can ask whether the results will be available in MyKanta. 

Your treatment plan includes information about all your health issues as well as the planned treatment, examinations, and medical rehabilitation. The treatment plan is created by your attending physician, with input from specialists as needed, including those in laboratory and imaging services. 

If you do not have a scheduled consultation or call time, please contact your care unit.