Last year healthcare costs rose 4.3 percent on average in larger towns and cities -- a level not seen since before the year 2000.
Vantaa in particular has cut its healthcare costs, mainly by improving efficiency. For instance, the city has trained physicians to order laboratory and X-ray services more sparingly.
However Timo Aronkytö, Vantaa's director of health services, says the lower growth in costs has only been witnessed for a short time. He says it's too early to talk about a new trend in healthcare. Furthermore the need for additional services will continue to grow as the population ages. And authorities are still looking for new ways cost-cutting measures.
For many municipalities, organising round-the-clock care for the elderly has become a major headache. In large cities, nursing home care costs have shot up 6.5 percent and costs at residential homes have risen nearly 13 percent.
Eleven large municipalities and 15 mid-size municipalities were included in the study carried out by Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities. YLE
