Home > Frequently Asked Questions
Home > Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to frequently asked questions.
It is enough that you book an appointment. All the examinations that have been prescribed for you are found in the database. If you come with a referral from a private doctor, take a printed version of the referral with you.
We do not charge for unattended appointments, but we hope that you would cancel your appointment in good time before your examination. This way the time becomes available for another client.
Yes. You register for all sampling services, both for booked appointments and queue ticket services, at Fimlab’s registration kiosks. The registration kiosk will print out a ticket with your service number on it. You will be called in with that number from the waiting room.
Yes, we can do examinations with referrals from two different units at the same time.
Yes. We can take all the blood tests on your referral at the same time. Please book an appointment under “glucose tolerance test”.
You cannot book a regular blood test appointment for a glucose tolerance test. Glucose tolerance test takes about 2 hours. You can book a time for the test from “glucose tolerance test”.
You can check, change or cancel your appointment electronically by using our appointment booking system or by calling our appointment booking number.
If you have a referral from a private doctor, book an appointment and take a printed version of the referral with you when you come for your tests. An invoice of the examination fees will be sent to your home afterwards.
No, you do not.
The most common examinations related to monitoring your own health can be ordered without a referral from our OmaLabra service. Put together a referral for yourself from our service selection and book a time for examinations.
Read more: OmaLabra
Some of Fimlab’s service locations also operate with a queue ticket. The service locations can be busy in the mornings before 10 a.m. and early on in the week as well as on the first days of the month. If your examination does not require sampling in the morning, it is worth coming outside the peak hours. By booking an appointment, you can come to laboratory examinations without having to queue. Our Nopsa express service serves without appointment booking and a queue ticket (you will need a referral from public healthcare).
Read more:
Note that the following examinations always require appointment booking: glucose tolerance test, gynaecological examinations, fungal tests
Location-specific information can be found on page: service locations and opening hours.
Children’s sampling (4)
To find out where we do screening for newborn metabolic disorders and bilirubin tests, please see the list of our service locations (filter service locations by service).
You can get more specific information by calling our customer advice service.
We take newborn heel samples in some of our service locations. To find out where we do screening for newborn metabolic disorders and bilirubin tests, please see the list of our service locations (filter service locations by service).
You can get more specific information by calling our customer advice service.
For a child you need to book a longer appointment from section ”Blood tests and/or urine tests and/or electrocardiogram (ECG)” or two consecutive appointments from section “Blood tests”.
Going to a laboratory can be a suspenseful experience. It is beneficial to tell the child about the examinations beforehand since being prepared reduces the fear and suspense related to a laboratory visit.
It is possible to numb the injection site before sampling. The numbing creams that pharmacies sell without a prescription are suitable for this purpose.
Read more:
Diabetes devices (6)
You can record your blood glucose values in a self-monitoring notebook and/or in the mobile application available for your glucose meter.
You must pair the glucose meter with your mobile phone to transfer the data automatically to the application via Bluetooth. The application also enables the recording of other treatment data, including insulin doses, carbohydrates and exercise, which makes monitoring your treatment easier.
If you have an Accu-Chek Instant glucose meter, download the mySugr application from the application store.
Sort as mixed waste
Blood glucose test strips
Blood glucose test strips are disposed of as mixed waste, because they contain only very limited quantities of metal and electrodes.
Sensor applicators, insulin pump tubes (without the needle), empty insulin pens and containers
A sensor applicator is plastic and contains a small metal spring. You can sort the applicator as mixed waste. Insulin pump tubes without the needle as well as empty insulin pens and insulin containers can be disposed of as mixed waste.
Sort as board waste
Cardboard packaging
Sort as plastic waste
Plastic packaging of individually packaged products.
Plastic packaging protecting individual products, for example, infusion set wrapping, can be recycled as plastic.
Disposal at a pharmacy
Insulin pen needles, syringes, insulin pump cannulas and lancing device needles (lancets)
All products that contain a needle must be disposed of at a pharmacy. You can collect insulin pen needles, insulin pump cannulas and lancing device needles (lancets) in a hard container with a lid. For example, you can use an empty plastic bottle or glass jar with a screw cap or lid. Take the tightly sealed container to a pharmacy separately from other pharmaceutical waste.
Half-empty and full insulin pens
If there is insulin in an insulin pen or container, take it to a pharmacy. Note! Do not empty the insulin down the drain or in a rubbish bin.
Recycle electrical and electronic equipment
Blood glucose sensors and meters
Dispose of blood glucose sensors and meters as electrical and electronic waste. Waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) can be recycled at waste stations, waste centres or electrical supply stores. Blood glucose meters come with batteries that must be removed before recycling. Used sensors have a battery that cannot be removed.
OmniPod pumps
Return used pumps to the supplier in a return box provided for the purpose. The manufacturer will take care of the pumps’ correct disposal. The products contain electronics, and they must not be disposed of together with mixed waste.
Recycle batteries
Batteries
Tape the ends of used batteries when you remove them from a device. Without taping, a battery poses a risk of fire at home and recycling points. You can recycle used batteries at waste stations, waste centres or groceries’ recycling points.
Healthcare professionals are offered access to a cloud service for all the equipment chosen by competitive tendering in Fimlab’s supply area. The cloud service allows customers to share their blood glucose values from the mobile application or through various cloud services.
The availability of mobile applications and cloud services is device-specific.
If you want to share your results electronically with your treatment unit, a healthcare professional must invite you to share your data with the treatment unit’s clinic account.
- If the meter screen is dark or the device does not switch on, replace the batteries, and make sure they are put in correctly.
- If the meter displays an error code, see the manual for the explanation and try to fix the problem.
- If the meter works unreliably, make sure the strip port is clean. Blood and dirt may prevent reliable measurement.
- Contact the product support of the device manufacturer
- Contact the distribution of treatment supplies or your treatment unit
- Check the expiration date on the strips.
- Have you accidentally left the strip vial open?
- Have you kept the strip vial in a place that is too hot or cold, e.g. on the windowsill or in the car? Has the strip vial frozen?
- Make sure your hands were clean.
- Did you wipe the first drop off, was the drop large enough, did you have to squeeze the finger to extract the blood?
- Try again with a new strip.
- Contact your treatment unit.
Meters and strips for self-treatment
- Device user: If you experience technical issues, contact the device supplier’s product support service. If you need to replace a defective meter urgently, contact your own treatment unit or the distribution of treatment supplies.
Insulin pumps
- Device user: With technical issues and in emergencies, contact the device supplier. Pump suppliers have a 24/7 service for urgent cases. If your pump is damaged and still under warranty, the device supplier will replace the pump under warranty. If the pump is no longer under warranty, contact your treatment unit to order a new pump. If necessary, the treatment unit will instruct you to use a backup system (injection treatment) until the new pump is delivered. Contact your treatment unit if you have questions about the pump settings.
Sensors
- Device user: With technical issues and in emergencies, contact the device supplier. Otherwise, contact your treatment unit. The device supplier will replace a broken sensor free of charge.
Examination results (8)
How long it takes to get the results depends on the examination. If needed, our customer advice service will give you more detailed examination-specific information.
Our customer advice service does not disclose examination results. You should inquire about the examination results from the healthcare unit that is treating you, where the results will electronically be sent to, as soon as they are ready.
Some of the results are also available on MyKanta.
You can also receive the results of the most common laboratory examinations on your mobile telephone or another mobile device by downloading the Fimlab mobile app. The service is currently available in Pirkanmaa, Kanta-Häme and Central Finland.
Read more:
Unfortunately, this is not possible. However, you can receive your test results electronically via the Fimlab mobile app. Some of the results are also available on MyKanta.
The Fimlab mobile app allows you to receive the results of the most common laboratory examinations on your mobile phone or other mobile device. The service is currently available in Pirkanmaa, Kanta-Häme and Central Finland.
Read more:
You can see the reference values for the most common examinations in the Most common examinations section. Please note, however, that the doctor treating you is always primarily responsible for interpreting the results.
The Fimlab mobile app allows you to receive the results of the most common laboratory examinations on your mobile phone or other mobile device. The service is currently available in Pirkanmaa, Kanta-Häme and Central Finland.
Read more:
The doctor who is treating you is always responsible for interpreting examination results.
Not all examination results are yet visible on MyKanta. You can request the missing test results from the referring healthcare unit.
When the results are ready, they are transferred electronically to the healthcare unit that sent the laboratory referral. Follow the instructions given to you by your doctor or nurse. Fimlab’s customer advice service does not disclose test results.
Some of the results are also available on MyKanta.
You can also receive the results of the most common laboratory examinations on your mobile telephone or another mobile device by downloading the Fimlab mobile app. The service is currently available in Pirkanmaa, Kanta-Häme and Central Finland.
Read more:
Fimlab mobile application (8)
- Open the Settings menu on the top right-hand corner of the application.
- Select Erase user information.
- Confirm the erasure of your user information. You can now delete the application from your phone’s application menu.
If you want to start using the Fimlab mobile application, you can download it again from the app store and log in with strong authentication.
It is not possible to use the Fimlab mobile application on another person’s behalf. Examination results are always sent to OmaKanta, where you can access them on another person’s behalf.
Search for “Fimlab” in your device’s Google Play or AppStore to install the application. The application is available for devices with Android 10 or iOS 15 or a newer operating system. You can continue to use the application on devices with an older operating system but not update the application.
For data security reasons, the application can only be used in specific regions. The application can be downloaded by Google and Apple accounts registered in Finland, Sweden or Norway. You can check and, if necessary, change your account’s location in your phone’s settings.
In the case of package examinations that include multiple examinations (e.g. B -TVK), the result for the main examination is usually “Tehty” (Done) and the actual results are shown for the sub-examinations.
The application allows you to access the results of the most common laboratory examinations: See the up-to-date list of available examinations here.
The application shows results for common examinations suitable for monitoring one’s health or care. These examination results are usually easy to interpret. The application does not show results of examinations that require a doctor’s interpretation. For example, the application does not show results with statements.
Your results may not be shown for any of the following reasons:
- Examination commissioner: The mobile application shows only the results of examinations commissioned by the wellbeing services county of Pirkanmaa, Kanta-Häme or Central Finland or through a private healthcare provider or the OmaLabra service. If an examination was commissioned through any other provider, the results will not show in the application.
- Timing of examination: You results may be over two years old. The application shows your examination results from the last two years.
- Result availability: The results may not be ready yet. Depending on the examination, the results may be delayed, and you may not receive the results of all the examinations at the same time.
The Fimlab mobile application is a secure service: you must log in with strong authentication (electronic banking passwords, mobile certificate or certificate card) to view the examination results. The application does not save any data on your phone, and you can erase your data at any point from the application settings.
In the laboratory (6)
You register for all sampling services, both for booked appointments and queue ticket services, at the self-registration kiosks.
The self-registration kiosk will advise you on how to proceed. Show the barcode or QR code of your KELA card, driver’s licence or another ID card to the machine’s reader. You can also enter your personal identity code or the booking key you received when you made your appointment on the touch screen.
A ticket with your service number will be printed for you upon registration. You will be called in with that number from the waiting room.
Yes. You register for all sampling services, both for booked appointments and queue ticket services, at Fimlab’s self-registration kiosks. The registration kiosk will print out a ticket with your service number on it. You will be called in with that number from the waiting room.
Only some of our service locations are open on Saturdays.
Nopsa i.e. our quick blood sampling works without a queue ticket and without appointment booking. Nopsa serves adults and young people who come for blood sampling. You can walk directly into a free booth (green light on = available booth). You must have a valid electronic referral from a doctor in public healthcare and an ID.
Read more:
Customers with an emergency referral will be served with a queue ticket.
- When you arrive for your sampling, please take a queue ticket from the ”Sampling for emergency customers” button or the “Sampling” button on the registration machine.
Waiting times vary. To ensure a smooth service, we recommend booking your appointment well in advance.
Preparing for the examinations (8)
Smoking and nicotine can affect the test results. Avoid smoking and using nicotine products on the day of the examination, before the examination.
Caffeinated drinks can affect the test results. Avoid drinking them on the day of the examination, before the examination.
You can take your medicines on the morning of your examination day as usual unless the examination-specific instructions tell you otherwise. For example, thyroid medication can only be taken after thyroid function tests.
If you are in doubt, contact the doctor treating you/the referring unit.
Some laboratory tests are taken after fasting. The doctor treating you / the referring healthcare unit will let you know if you must prepare for the examinations by fasting i.e. be without eating and drinking.
A small letter f in front of the test abbreviation refers to an examination that requires a 10–14-hour fast. During the fast, you are not allowed to eat or drink anything other than water. Please note that fasting for too long may affect the test results.
You will receive instructions regarding children’s fasting from the heathcare unit that is treating you.
You can also ask for instructions from our customer advice service.
Alcohol can affect the examination results. You should avoid using alcohol the day before and on the morning of the examination day.
Please note the following before coming to the examination:
- Pap smear tests cannot be performed while you are on your period.
- You can continue to take any other local treatments (e.g. a vaginal suppository) normally, except on the day before or on the day of sampling.
- Any hormone replacement therapy does not need to be interrupted.
- Normal pregnancy up to week 35 does not prevent sampling. For instructions on sampling during pregnancy and the postpartum period, please contact your child health clinic.
Mass screening samples: Please attend the sampling within one month of receiving the invitation, but no later than the invitation year. The screening programme does not allow you to defer screening to the following year.
In an ECG examination, the electrodes are placed on your skin on your chest and ankles. Please be mindful of this when getting dressed.
Avoid strenuous physical activity and caffeinated drinks (e.g. coffee, tea, energy drinks) before coming in for the examination.
When you come to an ECG examination with a child, you can bring, for example, a soft toy.
Read more:
- Some laboratory examinations require fasting. A small letter f in front of the test abbreviation refers to an examination that requires a 10–14-hour fast. During the fast, you are not allowed to eat or drink anything except water.
- Some laboratory examinations require sampling at a certain time. Hormone tests are typically of this type.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeinated drinks and smoking the day before your appointment and on the morning of the appointment.
- You can take your medicines normally on the morning of your appointment unless your doctor has instructed you otherwise.
- Come to the laboratory right before your booked appointment.
Samples taken at home and distance testing (15)
You can return the package by leaving it at the post office or directly in a mailbox, even when it is below freezing outside.
The result is recorded in your wellbeing services county’s patient information system and the Kanta archive. Additionally, the results will be sent to:
- Tampere and Orivesi: via SMS or the Fimlab mobile app (read more)
- Päijät-Häme: via the Päijät-Sote app (read more)
- Central Finland: via the Fimlab mobile app (read more)
You can order a remote testing package for chlamydia and gonorrhoea if you live in Tampere, Päijät-Häme, or Central Finland.
See detailed information by region: Remote STD testing
Order a free remote testing package for STDs. The sample is taken at home and mailed to the laboratory.
See detailed information by region: Remote STD testing
You can collect a sample container and instructions for sampling from Fimlab’s service locations.
- Take a queue ticket from the ”Samples taken at home and/or customer counselling” button.
- For some examinations you may receive the sampling material from the unit that is treating you.
- In some of our service locations, you can also use automatic collection and return of sample containers.
See the service locations in your area with automatic collection and return of sample containers.
You can return a sputum sample to the closest service location without booking an appointment.
- Take a queue ticket from the ”Samples taken at home and/or customer counselling” button.
If you are coming to Fimlab for sampling, you can return samples taken at home to the nurse who is collecting your sample. In this case, you will not need a separate queue ticket to return samples. Please note that sputum samples taken at home cannot be returned to our Nopsa points.
You can return a stool sample to the closest service location without booking an appointment.
- Take a queue ticket from the ”Samples taken at home and/or customer counselling” button.
If you are coming to Fimlab for sampling, you can return samples taken at home to the nurse who is collecting your sample. In this case, you will not need a separate queue ticket to return samples. Please note that stool samples taken at home cannot be returned to our Nopsa points.
You can return a urine sample to the closest service location without booking an appointment.
- Take a queue ticket from the ”Samples taken at home and/or customer counselling” button.
- If you are coming to Fimlab for sampling, you can return samples taken at home to the nurse who is collecting your sample. In this case, you will not need a separate queue ticket to return your samples.
- In some of our service locations, you can also use automatic collection and return of sample containers.
See the service locations in your area with automatic collection and return of sample containers.
Samples need to be collected in containers obtained from the laboratory or the unit that is treating you. This way we can ensure that the sample is fit for analysis.
The sample containers are disposable. If you need a new container, you can get one from the laboratory.
You can check this by calling our customer advice service.
Follow the written instructions you receive. You can also view the instructions for collecting a diurnal urine sample by clicking on the link below or contact our customer advice service.
At the moment, home sampling for consumer customers is not included in our service selection.
You receive instructions when you pick up the sample containers. If you have any questions, you can contact our customer advice service.
You receive instructions when you pick up the sample containers. If you have any questions, you can contact our customer advice service.
Screenings (5)
Do not worry; you will receive a new invitation in the mail.
Cervical cancer screening
Read more:
Colorectal cancer screening:
Read more:
If you want more information about your results or other matters related to screening in the municipality of your residence, you can contact your health centre or the contact person in the municipality of your residence.
Participation in screenings is not compulsory, but we encourage you to attend. Screenings, or mass screenings, aim to find cancer as early as possible, making it much easier to treat. Found early, treated more easily.
Read more:
Fimlab acts as a service provider in both cervical cancer screening and colorectal cancer screening. You can get more information about the screenings by clicking the links below.
Read more: Colorectal cancer screening
Read more: Cervical cancer screening
