Sweden's healthcare system faces a new ethical dilemma as private providers like Kry face criticism for aggressive patient recruitment. Region Östergötland has called out the digital healthcare company for signing up patients in shopping centers without their full understanding. The controversy highlights growing tensions in Sweden's traditionally public healthcare model.
A Confusing Transition for Patients
Karl Landergren, the health and medical care director for Region Östergötland, explains the core problem. "We received reports that people had contacted their old healthcare center and didn't understand they now belonged to another," he said. The region believes patients were not properly informed during recruitment drives in Norrköping. Many did not realize they had switched from their established public clinic to Kry's private service. This confusion creates practical problems for continuity of care and patient trust.
Kry's Sweden chief, Ameli Norling, acknowledged the misstep in a statement. "We regret that we didn't coordinate with the region, which was a mistake by us," she wrote. The company has promised Region Östergötland to stop using this particular sales method. Norling emphasized Kry's desire to maintain good relations with public healthcare authorities. "We have a great collaboration with Region Östergötland and here we just have to apologize and do right going forward," she stated.
A Recurring Pattern of Criticism
This is not the first time Kry's methods have drawn official scrutiny. Region Stockholm previously stopped the company from recruiting customers in shopping centers and subway stations. The pattern suggests a systemic issue in how some private providers interact with Sweden's patient choice system. Under this system, Swedes can choose their primary care provider, but the process requires informed consent.
Kry defended its Norrköping campaign as outreach. The company said it had been out informing people since April about the care it offers. The goal was to reach individuals they might not otherwise connect with through digital channels alone. However, the execution appears to have blurred the line between information and recruitment. When patients sign up without fully grasping the change, it undermines the principle of patient autonomy central to Swedish healthcare.
The Numbers Tell Another Story
Despite the aggressive recruitment, Kry's four healthcare centers in Norrköping have actually lost patients this year. Statistics show they have lost nearly 400 patients since January. In November, the centers had 41,249 listed patients. This decline raises questions about patient retention and satisfaction with private digital-first models. It suggests that signing patients up is one challenge, but keeping them engaged with the service is another.
The patient loss could reflect several factors. Some patients may have actively chosen to return to public care after their experience. Others might have moved or changed providers for practical reasons. The data indicates that market share in Swedish primary care remains fluid. It challenges the narrative that private providers are inevitably expanding at the expense of the public system.
Expert Perspective on a System Under Pressure
Healthcare analysts see this incident as symptomatic of broader changes. "The Swedish model is built on trust and equal access," says Lena Forsberg, a health policy researcher at Uppsala University. "When private companies use high-pressure tactics in public spaces, it risks commodifying the patient-doctor relationship. The system relies on patients making calm, informed choices, not decisions made at a mall kiosk."
The rise of digital healthcare providers like Kry has sparked intense debate in Sweden. Proponents argue they increase accessibility and force public clinics to improve service. Critics worry they cherry-pick healthier patients and undermine the financial stability of public healthcare. This incident touches on both sides of that debate, focusing on the ethics of patient acquisition.
Forsberg notes the particular vulnerability at play. "Recruiting in shopping centers targets everyone, including those who might be less digitally savvy or more susceptible to persuasive marketing. The public system doesn't market itself this way, creating an uneven playing field."
The Swedish Healthcare Landscape in Transition
Sweden's healthcare system is predominantly tax-funded and decentralized to 21 regions. The Patient Choice Act allows people to select any public or private provider that has an agreement with their region. This framework was designed to promote competition and quality. However, the Kry case shows how competition can sometimes lead to questionable practices.
The concept of "vårdval" (care choice) is deeply embedded but constantly evolving. In Stockholm, Malmö, and Gothenburg, private providers have a significant presence. In smaller cities like Norrköping, their entry is more recent and sometimes more disruptive. The cultural expectation is that healthcare is a public good, not a consumer product. Marketing tactics common in other industries can feel jarring when applied to medical care.
Looking Ahead: Regulation and Responsibility
The immediate outcome is that Kry has halted its in-person recruitment in Östergötland. The longer-term question is whether regions need clearer rules for how private providers can market themselves. Region Stockholm's earlier intervention created a precedent. Other regions may now follow with more defined guidelines to protect patients from confusing transitions.
Norling's statement suggests Kry is aware of the reputational damage. In a crowded market for digital healthcare, maintaining good relations with public regions is crucial. These regions control the funding that follows each patient. Losing their trust could jeopardize a company's entire business model in Sweden.
The incident also prompts reflection on patient responsibility within the choice system. Signing up for a new provider is done by the patient themselves on the 1177 healthcare website. However, as Landergren pointed out, "If patients have re-listed themselves and not understood what happened, then it hasn't been done correctly. If they received wrong information in connection with it, I view that seriously." The system assumes a level of health literacy and digital competence that not all citizens possess.
A Cultural Clash in the Welfare State
At its heart, this story represents a cultural clash. It pits the entrepreneurial, growth-driven mindset of a tech-enabled startup against the cautious, equality-focused ethos of the Swedish public sector. Kry represents the new Sweden of innovation and disruption. Region Östergötland represents the traditional Sweden of collective responsibility and universal design.
This clash plays out in shopping centers and subway stations across the country. It raises fundamental questions. How should healthcare be presented in a society that views it as a right? What does ethical marketing look like when the product is something as personal as medical care? The answers will shape the future of Swedish healthcare for decades to come.
The loss of 400 patients at Kry's Norrköping centers is a small but telling detail. It suggests that even successful recruitment drives don't guarantee long-term loyalty. In the end, Swedish patients will vote with their feet. They will choose the provider that offers the best care, the most trust, and the clearest communication. Both public and private sectors must remember that fundamental truth.