Most of the referrals are made by local health centres or private medical practices. The physician has examined the patient and decided that the patient may need specialised examination, monitoring or inpatient care, which is why an outpatient consultation is not sufficient.
The Emergency Department for Children and Adolescents is open 24/7. It is located at Oulu University Hospital, access through entrance A5 to the Department of Children and Adolescents. At night (24.00-08.00), the OYS Paediatric and Adolescent Emergency Department also treats all patients under 16, except trauma patients, who are treated at the joint emergency department service for the Oulu region. At other times, emergency patients are mainly treated at their local health centres or the joint emergency department service for the Oulu Region 8.00-24.00
OYS A5 also treats directly without a referral and at all times:
- patients under 16 who are experiencing their first ever seizure or have a lowered level of consciousness.
- infants under 3 months who have a high temperature, respiratory tract infections or are otherwise clearly unwell.
- children with severe shortness of breath .
- boys with sudden pain in testicles .
- children whose parents suspect recent onset of diabetes (the child has started drinking excessively) and there is no other way of measuring the blood sugar.
- patients whose condition required examination and care in specialised care, e.g. poisoning victims who require monitoring .
- children with a suspected foreign body in the respiratory tract .
- patients who have been in the hospital for an illness that has not resolved or has taken a turn for the worse.
Parents should note that the child’s condition is often difficult to assess on the phone so if the parents have any concern about their child’s health, they should see a doctor even if they have already called the telephone health service and received self-care instructions.
Parents should also note that calling an ambulance to see the child at home is not the same as a doctor’s consultation If the parents have concerns about their child’s health even if the ambulance staff decide not to bring the child to the hospital, they should come to the emergency department and see a doctor.
My child has suddenly become unwell. Where can I get help?
- During business hours on weekdays, contact your local health centre.
- In the evenings and weekends 8.00–24.00, contact the Joint Emergency department Services for the Oulu Region (OSYP).
- Private medical centres also provide urgent care in the evenings and weekends, but their services are not free.
- At night 24.00–08.00, the emergency care of children and adolescents, except for trauma injuries, is provided by the OYS Emergency Department for Children and Adolescents A5.
- Children’s trauma injuries are treated at night by the OSYP.