Chief Health Care Officer

A licenced health care professional or a health care professional with a protected title who is registered in Valvira’s Terhikki system, or the nationwide register containing information on Finnish health care professionals, may serve as a Chief Health Care Officer.

Health care professionals

Terhikki

A Chief Health Care Officer must have appropriate degree and training and work experience of at least two years. Work experience can be demonstrated with a resume, CV, official record of work history or a copy of an employment certificate. The document must show that the Chief Health Care Officer has worked in a relevant field for at least two years after graduation. Consultants must have two years’ worth of work experience after qualifying as a consultant. 

Chief Health Care Officers are responsible for ensuring that 

• the unit’s operations fulfil the requirements laid down in the act and decrees on private health care
• the unit has enough trained and skilled staff to provide the service
• the unit’s facilities and equipment are appropriate
• the provided health care services are medically justified and compliant with patient safety requirements
• patient records are created and maintained in an appropriate manner 
• necessary information is submitted to supervisory authorities for the processing of any patient complaints 
• the unit’s operations comply with the Act on the Status and Rights of Patients, including replying to objections.

A Chief Health Care Officer candidate must consent to serving as the company’s Chief Health Care Officer. The consent is given automatically upon signing in to the online system if the person signing in is the Chief Health Care Officer. If the Chief Health Care Officer is another person, they must submit a proof, such as a signature or an email, of their consent to serve as the company’s Chief Health Care Officer. 

Depending on the range of services your company offers, you may need more than one Chief Health Care Officer. For example practices that offer consultation services with both nurses and physiotherapists will need two Chief Health Care Officers: a nurse, who is in charge on medical services, and a physiotherapist, who is in charge of physiotherapy services.

The Chief Health Care Officer must either own or be employed or otherwise contracted by the company applying for a licence. If the Chief Health Care Officer changes, the company must submit an application to amend the licence.