While I am American and I know how terrible a health care system can be, I also spent 7 years in the Czech Republic. Where co-pay was recently raised to 1.50€ with uproar, where doctors earn minimum wage and when you are sick, you go to the doctor, get some meds and a week off of work.
My Swede, Johan, has tons of experience with the Swedish Health Care system. He has an allergic reaction almost every day since he was 20, and yet the Swedish doctors could not figure out what was wrong with him. After trips and trips to the doctor, he has given up and takes medicine that makes him very sleepy but seems to help his allergy. So you guys why he might not have tons of faith in the Swedish Health Care system.
I myself am not one to go to the doctor when I have a cold or flu. I feel these things heal on their own eventually, that it takes time. But after 4 months of one cough, which has even caused me to throw up and pull a muscle in my back on Christmas, I decided to go to the doctor.
We didn’t know we needed an appointment, but luckily the doctor was willing to take us in. Co-pay 100 SEK. I had a small fever but a quick blood test showed no bacteria, so I got some strong cough medicine to help it go away. 3 Days later, on Saturday I started to get major headaches and become very dehydrated. I started drinking tons of water, which didn’t seem to help. Then my lower back started to ache, which means kidney problems so off to the doctor again on Monday.
Calling the doctor, nobody answered the phone. There was just a message machine saying they were full and not making appointments today. Hmm, helpful! Well, in the Czech Republic when you doctor isn’t working (which is usually 2 days a week), you go to the ER. So off to the ER. Nobody was there, because everyone was going to their doctor’s office. The nurse was nice, took some samples, but said I needed to go to the doctor. She tried calling my doctor, with no luck. So she sent me to another doctor. She gave me my test results and said I had an appointment at 1:30pm. Great. Another 300 SEK co-pay which I will be billed.
1:30pm I pay another 100 SEK co-pay to see a nurse. Who tells me I just need rest, to get off the computer (not following those directions now, but have put the computer away for the most part), and it is not the cough medicine causing the headaches. Just keep drinking water. If you aren’t better or get worse, come back again.
Ok, fine. A little frustrating as I know I am sick, but whatever. I’m not one to be pushy when it comes to professionals. Though now I should have.
Later that night it did get worse. At 7pm I decide to go to the ER again. I’m not going to lose sleep b/c a stupid nurse didn’t get me in to see a doctor. My boyfriend was none to happy, saying that without proper tests they wouldn’t give me anything. I was pissed. I’ve been sick for 5 weeks now, but I can’t meds I know I need? After allthe money I pay in taxes, I expect a health care system that will help me get better!
Luckily we didn’t have to wait long. The nurse was nice, I got in to see a doctor who was super nice. From the look of his name he was Chinese, but spoke perfect Swedish and English. They took samples but he didn’t even look at them. He gave me antibotics and said that if they don’t work, they will know by cultures and call me. Otherwise they won’t call me, and I should go back to the doctor if I don’t get better. Finally! Another 300 SEK copay and I finally get the meds I need. I left feeling very happy.
The Swedish health care system has a LOT to work on. It is far from perfect, and you feel like half the time they don’t care. And with all this money going into taxes, when I’m sick I should be able to get antibotics! It seems they are not big on prevention here at all. Whatever. I got what I needed, after 700 SEK in one day (a little less than 70€).
Health Care in Sweden is better than the United States, because everyone is covered. Czech Republic is far better in care and prevention, but bed side manner sucks and doctors are fleeing the country to other places like Sweden and Germany where they can actually be paid a good sum. Sweden leaves a lot to be desired, but I got the help I needed. No place is perfect.
Hello!
I hope you got a reciete for all the money you spent. Because when you have reached the 900kr limit then the healthcare is free. All healthcare. Phyziotherapy, doctors, nurses, er and so furth.
Did you fill in the highprize card?
Then when you have reached the limit of 900 kr it is free a year from the first reciete date.
Hej!
Oh yes, I did. the receipt for the emergency room they send to you, I have that in my wallet to get marked on my high price card (if I can). The funny thing is I’d rather pay 1000kr once a year and not pay anything when I go to the doctor instead of having to deal with this high price card/receipts, etc. Do you think they will let me do that? LOL
Very interesting story. Me, being a greek, used to idealize swedish (generally scandinavian) healthcare. Thought it was completely free, flawless and of very high quality.
It surprised me too! I lived in Czech for 7 years, and they have great healthcare! It is quick and very good. The hospitals are a bit older, but the buildings themselves, not the medical teams or the technology they do. Yeah, you may have to wait for an hour at the doctors if you have a cold or it isn’t an emergency, but it is free! Not that bad to wait. Co-pay was cheap, and I am sick all the time, they help you out and send you to the specialist you need.
The problem, they say, with Czech health care is that doctors don’t make that much money. So a few of the doctors move to Germany or the UK for a better salary. But really, do I want a doctor who just wants to make money? At least the doctors I had were doing it because they wanted to.
And people are shocked that I don’t like the heath care here because I’m American. Yes, compared to American health care, Sweden’s is awesome. Compared to Czech, Swedish health care is not very good.
I am wondering, how can you say healthcare in Sweden is better than the U.S. when you just wrote an entire entry about how awful it is? In the U.S., EVERYONE can get healthcare, you either pay for part of your insurance through your employer or if you’re unemployed, the government covers your healthcare costs. If you’re in the “in between”, all hospitals will see you regardless of you ability to pay and if you can’t pay, they will write the bill off if you talk with them about it. For this, you see a DOCTOR at each visit, not a nurse. You can go to the ER and get all of the tests done, the diagnosis and treatment during one visit, usually the same with your doctor’s office. Not to mention that the best medical care in the world is here in the U.S. – why do you think people come from all over the world to attend medical school here? Why do people from all over the world travel HERE when they need serious surgery or treatment for a severe disease? Because it’s the best.
This was before Obama care. When my brothers finished college, they were on the phone like mad trying to find health insurance. One ran out of medicine and they delayed sending a new prescription since he would not qualify for the insurance in a few weeks.
I don’t think it is the best in the world, people study medicine all over. The medical treatment in the Czech Republic I received was top notch. Czech Republic was also the first country to do a 3 organ transplant.
Perhaps people come all over the world to attend medical school there because if they stay they can get rich? Or maybe because around the world people learn English before Swedish or Czech or any other language?
Each country has different views on medicine. In the Czech Republic, they recommend more rest than anything. In the U.S., they give you drugs and get you back on your feet ASAP.
I do hope the US health care system is improving, and I’m glad now everyone gets coverage. It wasn’t always the case a few years ago.
I’m surprised by your story; Swedish healthcare does need improvement, I agree to that (but that probably goes for any country). In general, Swedish health care is considered very good. But the lack of attention that you describe is outrageous, I haven’t met anything like it, and I believe it’s very rare. It might have to do with the location: I understand this happened in Norrland, far north in the country, and while there is a shortage of doctors all over Sweden, the northmost provinces don’t seem attractive to doctors and nurses (or personnel of any kind), which might explain that people who shouldn’t be employed still are…
That could definitely be the case. It was surprising for me too!