eHealth in Sweden
Key figures
10M
people
21
regions
10.9% of the GDP
was spent on health care in 2019
The Swedish healthcare system is divided into three administrative levels
The healthcare system is public and covers all Swedish residents regardless of their nationality. It is 85% financed by taxes collected at the regional level, supplemented by direct transfers from the federal government.
- The national government sets principles and guidelines and decides on policy priorities in health and medical care. This is done through laws and ordinances, or through agreements with the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR).
- The 21 regions are responsible for organising health and medical care so that all citizens have access to quality care.
- The 290 municipalities are responsible for the care of the elderly and of people with physical and mental disabilities, support and services for people who have completed their therapy and been discharged from hospital, and school health care.
An innovation strategy for the eHealth sector
Sweden has been named the most innovative country in the EU, driven by its innovation climate, which combines a highly developed public-private collaboration system with substantial global outreach.
The French and Swedish governments have established a strategic partnership for innovation. One of the areas of cooperation is "Innovation in Health". Supported by Business Sweden, this cooperation aims to encourage innovations to provide new solutions in the field of health.
How do you access the Swedish market?
1. Contact Vinnova, the Swedish innovation agency
Vinnova, the Swedish Innovation Agency, is the government's expert authority on innovation policy and funds needs-based research and innovation. It facilitates and coordinates the cooperation of public and private entities, in order to assist the government.
Vinnova operates with strategic innovation programmes for each of the sectors that Sweden prioritises. Medtech4Health is the program responsible for funding, unifying, and organizing this effort. It is a good point of contact to connect to a university hub and to access the Swedish market. It is through Vinnova that healthcare organizations and innovators meet.
2. The regions and municipalities: Responsible for procurement
The 21 regional authorities and 290 local authorities purchase medicines and medical devices. However, their decisions are coordinated at the national level and guided by the recommendations of the Medical Products Agency and the Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency.
3. Lakemedelsverket, the National Medicines Agency
The Lakemedelsverket is the health authority responsible for the evaluation of medical devices, including digital medical devices: It issues licences to allow a health product onto the market.
4. The Tandvårds och läkemedelsförmånsverket (TLV) for reimbursement
The TLV sets prices and reimbursement rates for each product before it is placed on the market. The first regulations governing market access to digital health solutions in Sweden were those in the Nordic Digital Health and Evaluation Criteria (NordDEC) programme, adopted in June 2022 in Helsinki. This accreditation system has also been adopted by Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland. A product that is accredited by one country is accredited in all five provided that it complies with NordDEC standards.
Government authorities
In charge of the evaluation and legislation of health system
Trade associations
They bring companies together and facilitate their incubation
Hubs and innovation clusters
They bring together and facilitate the incubation of new technologies
Training courses
Universities and their initiatives that offer training and support for digital health innovations