Oncology Outpatient Clinic

We are in charge of planning the whole treatment of cancer patients; we perform pre-treatment examinations and implement cancer pharmacotherapy. Our largest patient groups are those suffering from breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and gastrointestinal cancer. 

We also carry out follow-up visits and guide their implementation in primary health care as necessary. We only treat adult patients.

The number of annual outpatient clinic appointments totals almost 37,600, approximately 8,000 of these are treatment appointments. The cancer outpatient clinic also serves as a teaching outpatient clinic for bachelors of medicine.

The outpatient clinic office hours are from 8 am to 3 pm. It is recommended to arrive in good time. A relative or a family member can accompany the patient to the appointment.

The course of treatment at the outpatient clinic

Patients are invited to the reception and to receive cancer treatment based on a referral. At the cancer outpatient clinic, there are receptions held by both doctors and nurses.

There is also a unit specialising in the implementation of cancer pharmacotherapy at the outpatient clinic. Cancer pharmacotherapy can be administered either intravenously or orally.

Before starting their treatment, patients go to the laboratory, for possible imaging examinations and to a doctor’s appointment. The actual treatment plan of the patient is prepared during the doctor’s appointment. Often, the treatment is already planned based on preliminary data at a joint meeting of doctors of several specialities.

Invitation to the outpatient clinic

You are invited to the outpatient clinic by post. The invitation letter includes the appointment time and information on possible laboratory and imaging examinations to be done in advance and instructions for preparing for the examination. You can reschedule or cancel the time booked for you by calling the telephone number indicated in the invitation letter. The call goes to a call-back service.

Take with you a list of your medication, previous examination results and medical certificates regarding the disease in question and possible X-rays taken outside the hospital.

Self-registration

There is a registration machine at the cancer outpatient clinic. Register by showing your Kela card, driving licence or bar code on the invitation letter to the machine. The machine prints out the appointment number and the number of the waiting area. There are four waiting areas (5, 6, 7 and 8); signposts guide you to the waiting area.

Keep an eye on the information screen in the waiting area. The information screen displays the number of the room and your appointment number. This means you can enter the room.

If you register using the entrance lobby machine, register again using the machine on the second floor at the cancer outpatient clinic. When coming in for an X-ray, you must register at the X-ray registration point.

If you have more than one appointment scheduled at the cancer outpatient clinic during the same day, keep your appointment number. You will be called to enter with the same appointment number, even if the waiting area is different.

During your visit

At the cancer outpatient clinic, you will meet a doctor, nurse or both. The doctor and nurses will inform you of matters related to your disease. Feel free to ask about any unclear matters and express wishes related to your treatment as necessary. Your close relatives or friends may accompany you if you so wish. The invitation letter includes an estimate of the duration of your visit.

At the outpatient clinic, we will ask for your written consent for handing over information about your disease and treatment to other attending doctors and the health centre. Our hospital has joined the national Patient Data Repository, about which you will receive more information during your visit. You may also refuse to give information about your hospital visit to anyone.

The invoice for the outpatient clinic fee is sent to your home.

When your treatment period at the outpatient clinic has ended, you will receive a written treatment feedback at your home within one month. The treatment feedback is also available in the national Patient Data Repository, if you have logged in to the service.

The treatment feedback includes the key examinations and procedures that have been done to you, the diagnosis, further treatment instructions and the name of your attending doctor.

Persons in charge

Deputy chief physician Maarit Bärlund​​
Ward manager Merja Kaikkonen