As tuberculosis patient numbers declined during the 1970s Pikonlinna was converted from a tuberculosis sanatorium into a modern pulmonology clinic. Thorax surgeon dr. Hannu Markkula made consultation visits to Pikonlinna almost every week. At the initial stage dr. Pentti Antila presented the patients about whom he needed to consult. Decisions concerning the treatment guidelines and pre-surgical preparations were made during these negotiations.
The surgery was performed at the central hospital and immediate post-operative care was provided in ward 5b in the hospital, after which the patient was transfered back to Pikonlinna when immediate post-surgical monitoring was no longer needed. Later on surgical consultation visits were turned into training meetings for physicians training to become pulmonologists. Trainees took turns in presenting their patient cases. Co-operation between pulmonology and thorax surgery remained unchanged up until the day when the pulmonology department moved from Pikonlinna to the facilities located in the central hospital’s main location in 2006.
