Sweden’s Public/Private Sector Mix in the Financing and Delivery of Healthcare Services

Abstract In Sweden, the responsibility for organizing and financing healthcare rests with 21 regions and 290 municipalities. The central government is responsible for overall healthcare policy and legislation. Most hospitals are publicly funded and operated. Following the introduction of patient choice and provider competition in 2007–2010, there is a mix of public and private primary care centers (PCCs), all publicly funded and subject to the same overall requirements. There is some variation in geographical accessibility, access to alternative providers between socioeconomic groups, and characteristics between public and private PCCs. The evidence on socioeconomic distribution of visits is mixed, while several studies have demonstrated that groups of individuals with worse socioeconomic conditions are less satisfied with primary care services. Public and private PCCs have become more similar over time in regard to patient mix, the division of labor, and patients’ perceptions of quality of care.