Kouvola nighttime emergency services face potential closure as government reviews plans

Recent reports about the potential retention of nighttime emergency services in Kouvola have sparked cautious optimism in the Kymenlaakso welfare region. Several media outlets reported Monday evening that the government might reconsider its plans to close nighttime emergency services at the Ratamo Health Center.

“It’s important not to celebrate too soon, but during my rounds in the Ratamo departments and the emergency area, the atmosphere felt quite hopeful,” said Kimmo Salmio, the chief physician and head of the acute care service area.

The government is expected to make a decision regarding this issue on Thursday. According to Iltalehti, a critical condition for the continuation of nighttime services is that they must not compromise personnel adequacy or the welfare region’s finances.

“Initially, we believe these conditions are being met. If nighttime services are discontinued, it would only lead to increased costs. We also do not have a resource shortage due to the emergency services,” Salmio explained.

The nighttime emergency services in Kouvola primarily rely on contracted physicians, while the nursing staff is employed by the welfare region. Salmio expressed skepticism about the feasibility of providing emergency services without these contracted doctors, emphasizing that eliminating these services would not result in savings, as nighttime duties are considered overtime for physicians.

Kouvola’s nighttime emergency service is one of two in Kymenlaakso. If it were to close, the nearest emergency care for the town’s 80,000 residents would be in Kotka, which could be up to 100 kilometers away for residents in the northern parts of Kouvola.