Go to the emergency department if you have:

• Chest pain
• Serious injuries
• Difficulty breathing
• Severe mental-health crisis
• Suspected stroke
• Heavy bleeding or broken bones

Emergency number: 112

You can call for yourself or for someone else.

ambulance support

Ambulances in Sweden are advanced mobile medical units staffed by trained nurses and paramedics.

An ambulance will:

• Assess the patient on site
• Start treatment immediately
• Decide the correct hospital
• Contact the emergency department before arrival

Ambulance transport is not free, but is covered by the healthcare fee ceiling (see below for more information on Sweden’s healthcare fee ceiling).

Typical cost for residents per ambulance ride: SEK 300–400

Never avoid calling an ambulance because of cost if someone is seriously ill.

arriving at the emergency department

When you arrive, you first go through triage.

A nurse will:

• Ask about symptoms
• Measure vital signs
• Decide how urgent your case is

This means patients are treated based on medical urgency, not arrival time.

More serious cases are always treated first.

Waiting times vary depending on urgency and hospital pressure.

Typical emergency waiting times:

• Life-threatening conditions: Immediate care
• Serious but stable: 1–3 hours
• Non-urgent problems: 3–8+ hours

This can feel long, but it is normal and part of the triage system.

If your condition worsens while waiting, tell staff immediately.

what happens when you see a doctor

During your visit you may receive:

• Blood tests
• X-rays or scans
• Medication
• Specialist consultation
• Admission to hospital if needed

Interpreters are available at no cost.

after treatment — what happens next

After your visit you may:

• Go home with instructions and medication
• Receive a referral to a specialist
• Be admitted for observation or surgery

Follow-up communication usually happens via:

• 1177 Vårdguiden digital messages
• letters sent by post
• phone calls from clinics

Invoices are usually sent by mail or digital post after your visit.

You do not pay at the hospital desk.

Note: 1177 Vårdguiden is Sweden’s official healthcare advice service. You can call 1177 or visit their website to get 24/7 medical advice, find clinics and hospitals, read reliable health information, and access your digital healthcare messages and appointments.

for residents (personnummer)

Emergency visit: SEK 300–400

Hospital admission cost: about SEK 100 per day

Children under 20 (residents): no cost

Any costs count toward the yearly healthcare fee ceiling.

healthcare fee ceiling reminder

Maximum cost per year: SEK 1,450

After reaching the ceiling, all further hospital and doctor visits cost SEK 0 that year.

real-world example

You use healthcare many times in one year:

• 3 doctor visits: SEK 750
• 2 emergency visits: SEK 700
• 3 specialist visits: SEK 1,500
• 1 physiotherapy course: SEK 1,000

Total real cost: SEK 3,950

You only pay SEK 1,450. The remaining SEK 2,500 is covered by the state.

All further visits that year cost SEK 0.

costs for asylum seekers and TPD

Emergency care: about SEK 50
Hospital stay: very low daily fee
Children under 18: hospital care at no cost (residents are covered until 20, but asylum/TPD follows a different law)

Emergency care is never refused.

if you stay <1 year (no personnummer)

You can still get hospital care, but you pay the full cost unless covered by private insurance.

Who this includes:

• Short-term workers
• Visitors
• Students staying under 12 months

You should:

• obtain private health insurance
• use travel insurance when possible

if you stay <1 year but you have a EU health card (EHIC)

This changes things a bit:

• You can get urgent or necessary care in public hospitals
• You pay the resident co-pay (usually 100–300 SEK per visit, much lower than full cost)
• The hospital can claim the rest from your EU/EEA country via the EHIC system

undocumented migrants

Entitled to:

• Emergency care: you may be asked to pay the full cost, as there is no subsidy for regular care (hospitals often offer reduced rates or payment plans)
• Maternity care & abortion: often subsidised, some hospitals provide care at no cost, but it can vary regionally

Children under 18 receive healthcare at the same cost as residents.

You usually need a referral to see specialists such as:

• cardiologists
• dermatologists
• psychiatrists
• surgeons

Typical specialist visit: SEK 300–400 until the SEK 1,450 fee ceiling is reached.

Most hospitals have:

• Cafés and restaurants
• Small grocery shops
• Vending machines
• Family waiting areas

Patients staying overnight receive meals.

Visitors can usually buy food on site.

stockholm region

karolinska hospital

Sweden’s most famous hospital and one of Europe’s leading academic medical centers. Closely linked to Karolinska Institutet and advanced research/complex care.

main sites

Karolinska Solna
Located at: Eugeniavägen 3, 171 64 Solna

Karolinska Huddinge
Located at: Hälsovägen 13, 141 57 Huddinge

Danderyds sjukhus
Located at: Mörbygårdsvägen 5, 182 88 Danderyd

Södersjukhuset
Located at: Sjukhusbacken 10, 118 83 Stockholm

gothenburg region

sahlgrenska 

The largest hospital in Scandinavia. Main teaching hospital for the University of Gothenburg. Multiple campuses.

Sahlgrenska (main)
Located at: Blå stråket 5, 413 45 Göteborg

Östra 
Located at: Diagnosvägen 11, 416 50 Göteborg

Mölndal 
Located at: Göteborgsvägen 31, 431 80 Mölndal

malmö / skåne region

skåne university hospital

Covers both Malmö and Lund; the main university hospital for southern Sweden.

Malmö 
Skånes universitetssjukhus Malmö
Located at: Carl-Bertil Laurells gata 9, 205 02 Malmö

Lund 
Skånes universitetssjukhus Lund
Located at: Getingevägen 4, 221 85 Lund