Sweden Faces Healthcare Access Concerns in Rural Areas
A Dalsland resident is raising concerns about access to specialized cardiac care in rural Sweden, highlighting long wait times and challenges for those without digital access. The situation underscores growing anxieties about equitable healthcare distribution across the country.
Elisabeth Wennberg, of Edsleskog, Dalsland, described her struggle to receive care for heart failure, stating she must travel 60 miles round trip to witness the only cardiac nurse in the region, located at the Dalsland Hospital’s heart clinic in Bäckefors.
According to Wennberg, she waited five months after her diagnosis and hospitalization to finally meet with a cardiologist. Communication with healthcare providers currently occurs primarily through messaging on 1177, Sweden’s national healthcare portal, with phone appointments often scheduled for the following day. In emergency situations, residents are directed to travel 120 miles round trip to Näl Hospital in Trollhättan.
“What about the elderly who don’t have the strength or ability to contact healthcare in the way that is now required of patients?” Wennberg asked, referencing the increasing reliance on computers, internet access, smartphones and BankID for accessing services. “Who takes responsibility for those who live isolated in the countryside and wait to be called? Those who are left outside the system.”
The Nära specialiserad vård Dalsland facility in Bäckefors offers a range of specialized services, including cardiology, dermatology, speech therapy, and ophthalmology. The heart clinic is open from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Thursday, and from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM on Fridays.
Wennberg expressed her frustration with the current state of healthcare in Sweden, stating, “My country has become harsh. I do not want to wait! I realize what I choose. Equitable healthcare throughout Sweden!”
Elisabeth Wennberg
Edsleskog, Dalsland
