Long-term agreement on rehabilitation with the NLFÍ Health Center signed

The Minister of Health, the CEO of Iceland Health and the CEO of the NLFÍ Health Institute today signed a new four-year service agreement for specialized rehabilitation.

The agreement marks an important step in promoting stability and predictability in services to individuals in need of specialized rehabilitation. The maximum amount of the contract is just under ISK 1.5 billion per year. The agreement ensures a solid foundation for the continued development of the service, as the last agreement was made in 2019.

Alma D. Möller, Minister of Health, says that rehabilitation is a key part of a strong health care system. "The NLFÍ Health Institute has for decades played an important role in rehabilitation in this country. With this long-term agreement, increased stability is created, which enables the institution to further develop the services and ensure that individuals throughout the country have access to robust and specialized rehabilitation."

Emphasis on quality, performance measurement and flexibility

The agreement covers specialised interdisciplinary rehabilitation in a wide range of fields, including musculoskeletal, neurological, cancer, mental and heart diseases, as well as obesity and metabolic diseases. Treatment sessions are usually four weeks long and are based on comprehensive teamwork where, among other things, the institution's specialized facilities, including a swimming pool, are used, which is an important part of the rehabilitation.

The agreement provides increased flexibility to meet changing demand between treatment teams. At the same time, great emphasis is placed on the quality of the service, performance measurement and the continued development of payment arrangements that support efficient and effective rehabilitation.

Sigurður H. Helgason, CEO of Iceland Health, says that the agreement is important for both individuals and the health care system. "Rehabilitation is very important for people's quality of life and can reduce the need for further health services later on. With a long-term agreement, better predictability is created for the operation of the service and at the same time there is scope to develop payment arrangements and strengthen the quality and effectiveness of treatment."

Pioneers for decades and an important link in the Icelandic healthcare system

The NLFÍ Health Center has for decades played an important role in the Icelandic health care system and is a leader in the field of rehabilitation. The institute has been a pioneer in the development of interdisciplinary rehabilitation and evaluation of the effectiveness of treatments and has built up powerful knowledge and experience that is useful to individuals from all over the country. The Natural Medicine Society of Iceland has from the beginning been a sponsor of the operation and has played a major part in its development.

The service is based on interdisciplinary teamwork where healthcare professionals from different professions work together to assess the needs of each individual and formulate a comprehensive treatment plan. The goal of the rehabilitation is to improve physical and mental health, strengthen self-sufficiency and support individuals to participate more actively in daily life. The program is also structured so that participants gain a greater understanding of their own health and learn methods for self-help that are useful after rehabilitation.

Þórir Haraldsson, CEO of the NLFI Health Institute, welcomes the agreement. "This agreement is an important recognition of the work that has been done at the NLFÍ Health Center for decades. It provides us with predictability and enables us to continue to develop the services, build on the knowledge that has been created and provide individuals with comprehensive rehabilitation that takes into account the needs of each individual. In this way, our wonderful staff can continue to carry out rehabilitation of around 1,350 individuals per year and thus improve their well-being and quality of life."

The agreement is valid from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2029.