Finnish Healthcare Giant Expands in Sweden by Acquiring Small Clinics Amidst Consolidation Concerns

Swedish healthcare centers, once small and community-focused, are increasingly being acquired by large corporations, a trend exemplified by the Finnish healthcare giant Mehiläinen's Swedish subsidiary, Meliva. Meliva has been rapidly expanding across Stockholm, Uppsala, and Gothenburg by purchasing independent clinics.

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We were a clinic that offered care from the cradle to the grave.

Carina Lundberg Callenholm, a nurse who has worked at the Meliva Matteus clinic in Vasastan since 1987, remembers a time when such centers were pioneers in offering accessible, local care. "We were a clinic that offered care from the cradle to the grave," she recalled. These "neighborhood clinics" aimed for continuity of care, with patients seeing the same doctor. "It was small-scale and familiar," she added.

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It was small-scale and familiar.

However, Lundberg Callenholm has observed a significant shift in recent years, with major corporations like Capio, Kry, and Meliva buying up these independent practices. "We who were there at the time think that now the big ones will take over what we built up," she expressed, reflecting a sentiment of concern among long-term healthcare professionals.

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We who were there at the time think that now the big ones will take over what we built up.

This consolidation in Sweden stands out internationally. Unlike Norway and Denmark, where small clinics are often doctor-owned and subject to stricter state and municipal regulations, Sweden's system, particularly after the healthcare choice reform, is more liberal. Professor Ulrika Winblad of Uppsala University describes the Swedish market as "High Chaparral" and largely unregulated, allowing for easier corporate acquisition and expansion. Ron Liebkind, Meliva's medical chief, noted that the advantages of consolidation include meeting regional demands and expanding digital services, especially highlighted during the pandemic.

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I realized that there were advantages to joining forces, including being able to meet the region's increasing demands for primary care. During the pandemic, there was also a need to expand digital services.