What is the Council for Choices in Health Care in Finaland?

Council for Choices in Health Care in Finland (COHERE Finland)

The Council for Choices in Health Care in Finland (COHERE Finland) operates in connection with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The Council includes a chairperson and a maximum of 15 members. Each member has a personal deputy. Members represent different disciplines, including medicine, and the Finnish health and social security system. COHERE may set up sections of experts with the task of proposing topics that should be discussed and preparing matters for consideration by the Council together with the secretariat. COHERE has a permanent secretariat that prepares matters for meetings of the Council and the sections. 

COHERE includes representatives from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, Social Insurance Institution of Finland, Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities and Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea.

What are COHERE’s tasks?

COHERE’s main task is to recommend whether certain examination, treatment and rehabilitation methods should belong to the healthcare service choices or not.

 In addition, COHERE:

• is responsible for the specific tasks assigned to it by law.
• monitors and evaluates the healthcare service choices.
• issues opinions at the request of the Social Insurance Institution and other authorities.
• participates in public debate and cooperation concerning the service choices.
• monitors international developments and participates in international cooperation.
• handles other matters assigned to it by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.