Sweden

If you need to see a doctor, you can contact a general practitioner (allmänläkare) at a health centre (vårdcentral) or clinic (läkarmottagning). Health centres also have nurses (distriktsköterska) who can treat wounds or prescribe medicine for non-serious conditions. However, the nurses’ prescription rights are limited to specific medications and health conditions.

Health centres are open on weekdays, and appointments can be made by phone. Most health centres also offer a walk-in services during specific hours. You can search for a healthcare provider on the 1177 online service (in Swedish).

You can make an appointment directly with a specialist, but it is usually advisable and more affordable to see a general practitioner first. They can provide a referral to a specialist if necessary.  A doctor’s referral is usually required for hospital treatment.

If you require urgent dental care, you can visit a public dental clinic (folktandvården) or a private dentist who has an agreement with Försäkringskassan (most dentists do).

Dentists are free to set their own treatment fees, provided they are considered reasonable in relation to the treatment given. Reimbursement of dental care costs is based on reference prices. A reference price is a fixed amount set for each type of treatment and determined by the Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency (Tandvårds- och läkemedelsförmånverket, TLV). If a dentist charges more than the reference price, you will need to pay the portion that exceeds it. The dentist must have a list of the reference prices and their own prices, and you are advised to check them before the treatment begins.

Contact information for dentists can be found on the 1177 online service (in Swedish).

In Sweden, electronic prescriptions are most commonly used instead of paper prescriptions. When collecting your prescribed medicines at a pharmacy (apotek), show your identity card. Prescriptions are usually valid for one year in Sweden.

If you want to know more about medicine reimbursements in Sweden, read the information on the Info Norden website: Medicines and high-cost protection in Sweden.

In an emergency, you can go directly to the emergency department (akutmottagning) of a public hospital. You can also visit a private hospital, provided it has an agreement with the county council.

You can be eligible for reimbursement of travel costs to the hospital, depending on the region’s regulations. You can ask the hospital staff about travel allowance. Emergency transport by ambulance or helicopter is usually free of charge, but some counties charge a user fee.

If you have to return to Finland due to illness using a more expensive means of transport than usual (e.g. special transport), you are eligible for reimbursement from Sweden.

The reimbursement will cover the additional cost incurred by using the more expensive method of travel. In other words, you will pay the same price for the return trip as you would have done when travelling healthy. This is regulated under the Act on the Nordic Convention on Social Security Convention (in Swedish).

Remember to make sure that your patient data is transferred between countries. You can provide those responsible for your follow-up care or your health centre with the patient records concerning the treatment you received abroad. If the patient records need to be translated, you will be responsible for arranging that yourself.

In the event of a treatment injury, the legislation and patient insurance of the country where the treatment was provided will apply. For more information about treatment quality and patient safety, visit the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare’s website, Samlat stöd för patientsäkerhet (Comprehensive Support for Patient Safety) (in Swedish).

If you are dissatisfied with the treatment you received, you should first try to resolve the issue directly with the treatment provider. If you remain dissatisfied and wish to make a complaint, visit the website of the Health and Social Care Inspectorate (IVO) for further information.

The Swedish healthcare system includes both public and private healthcare services.

Responsibility for the organisation of public healthcare lies either with the regional councils (regionerna) or with local authorities, which are able to manage and prioritise their own healthcare resources independently. As a result, the types of healthcare services may vary.

Private healthcare services that have a contract with the National Health Services have the same costs as public healthcare. If the private service provider does not have such a contract, the patient pays the full costs of the treatment.

Dental care in Sweden is also both private and public. Public dental care is generally referred to as “Folktandvården”.