Users of Suðurnes Hospital & Health Center are now generally more satisfied with the institution’s services, according to a standardized service survey conducted by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs. Overall satisfaction now measures 4.5 out of a possible 5. The highest satisfaction scores relate to staff attitude and the reliability of information provided to users.

When comparing these results with other healthcare institutions, Suðurnes Hospital & Health Center shares either the highest or second-highest score. It receives between 4.2 and 4.6 points (out of 5) in all survey categories. The weakest area, according to users, is the speed of service—even though Suðurnes Hospital & Health Center ranks highest of all healthcare institutions in that category.

High satisfaction with staff attitude and information

Satisfaction with staff attitude stands out. In open responses, users described their interactions with staff as positive, warm, and professional. Suðurnes Hospital & Health Center scores 4.6 out of 5 in this category—a significant increase from last year’s 3 out of 5. A total of 94% of respondents said the staff attitude was very good or rather good, and 74% gave the highest rating, “Very good.”

Trust in the information provided by Suðurnes Hospital & Health Center has also risen sharply. Users feel that the information they receive about their health, treatment, and next steps is clear and reliable. This matters in healthcare, where many users are in vulnerable circumstances and need to trust that matters are handled correctly. In the survey, 89% of respondents gave positive feedback, saying the information was very reliable or rather reliable. Of these, 57% selected “Very reliable.”

When asked about overall satisfaction with services at Suðurnes Hospital & Health Center, respondents gave an average score of 4.5 out of 5. Last year, the institution scored 3.6 in this area. Altogether, 91% gave positive feedback: 66% were very satisfied and 25% rather satisfied.

Speed of service

Speed of service receives the lowest rating among the evaluated categories, though Suðurnes Hospital & Health Center still scores highest among all healthcare institutions. A total of 83% of respondents gave positive feedback on service speed. Of these, 43% said the service was very fast and 40% said it was rather fast. The overall score for this category was 4.2. In last year’s survey, the institution scored 2.9—meaning the improvement has been substantial in a short time.

Part of regular evaluation of public services

The survey of government institutions’ services is conducted for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs and carried out by the Social Science Research Institute. Its purpose is to assess satisfaction with public services and support improvement efforts by highlighting strengths and weaknesses in the service process.

Only users who have recently accessed the service can respond; the survey is sent after use of the service. It is offered in Icelandic, English, Polish, and Icelandic Sign Language, and responses are not personally identifiable.

The results indicate that Suðurnes Hospital & Health Center generally performs well in serving the residents of Suðurnes and stands as an example to others. The service survey is updated regularly, and developments in the coming years will show whether the institution’s service-improvement measures lead to even higher user satisfaction.

A model healthcare institution

In summer 2024, Suðurnes Hospital & Health Center launched an extensive strategic-planning effort in collaboration with the Suðurnes community—residents, municipalities, and staff. This work resulted in new priorities, values, and a formal strategy later in the year.

The leadership and staff of Suðurnes Hospital & Health Center deserve recognition for incorporating the community’s suggestions and comments into both the development and implementation of the strategy. The survey results suggest that the community’s expectations have been met. The work is far from finished, however—substantial effort is still required to ensure continued high-quality healthcare services in Suðurnes.

Major construction projects have been underway, and various disruptions were unavoidable during renovations of the building and grounds in Reykjanesbær. On the other hand, the new primary care centers in Suðurnesjabær and Vogar have greatly improved access to services.

Design work is ongoing for a planned ambulance reception area linked to the emergency department of Suðurnes Hospital & Health Center, with hopes that construction can begin in spring 2026. There are also plans to find larger and better facilities for psychosocial services and home nursing.

Growing pains and maintenance challenges will continue to affect operations in the coming years—but the service survey results provide an important boost, confirming that residents of Suðurnes place their trust in the institution.

The survey results are published on the web Stjórnarráðið | Könnun á þjónustu ríkisstofnana

Guðlaug Rakel Guðjónsdóttir, Chief Executive Officer.