Director's address - Annual report 2022
Iceland Health is a key institution in the Icelandic health system. By contracting, determining rights, payments for services provided and managing important payment models, the institution has a strong role in ensuring the public "assistance for the protection of health and equal access to health services" as provided for in the Health Insurance Act. It also states that the important objective of promoting the 'operational and macroeconomic efficiency of health services and their maximum quality as far as possible at any given time' is to be attained. Efficiency and quality are the prerequisite for adequate funding of health services and for them to deliver the benefits that society expects in the right way.
The services of Iceland Health shall concern the welfare and financial performance of most Icelanders in any one year. Although it is not always at all evident that Iceland Health is involved in the services provided in the Icelandic health system, the public would notice immediately if the services of the Administration were to cease. Iceland Health serves its purpose with the contribution of employees who perform tasks with competence and enthusiasm. Furthermore, the information systems of the IMO are the key to the Agency being able to provide services of the highest standard possible. These systems are constantly evolving as discussed in the Digital Development Framework.
Functional development
The website of Iceland Health was registered with Ísland.is. The website is also designed for all devices and to support accessibility for all. Notification of accidents was also elaborated in the application system on Ísland.is. Data sharing was set up through X-Road versus Landspítali, FDA and the Directorate of Health. A data warehouse was developed and several data cubes were put into use. A new system was implemented for midwives. The first steps were taken during the year in their own software development by creating a solution to identify customers by phone and to establish a secure identification in the processing system.
It is not possible to briefly review all the main tasks of Iceland Health. The statistics that are the main component of the annual report reflect both the diversity and the scope of the tasks carried out by the Agency. It is expected that when all is said, the total cost of the projects the Institute projects will amount to more than ISK 150 bn when the cost component of the health insured is taken into account. The Institute's contracts for services are nearly 300. The Centre facilitates nearly half a million visits to specialized physicians. More than 20 inches of people receive aids every year through the Centre. Attendance to the physiotherapist was about 850 thousand. Over 100 thousand individuals, primarily children, the disabled and old-age pensioners received support for dental services. The Institute also provides numerous other services, such as imaging, air ambulance and medical transport, the services of psychologists and midwives. The Centre also carries out important tasks in financing health services, including primary healthcare, specialised hospitals and nursing homes. Cross-border healthcare projects are a fast-growing project. Finally, there is the important protection offered by patient and accident insurance. In addition to its usual tasks, the Institute occasionally carries out other pleasant tasks, as is stated in the framework for assistance to Ukraine.
Assistance to Ukraine
Iceland Health will from time to time be given the opportunity to participate in community projects that go beyond the actual role of the institution. For example, in March of last year, the Icelandic Health Insurance sent aids to Poland, which were intended for orphans and young persons with disabilities who had to flee their homes due to the war in Ukraine. They were admitted to a rehabilitation centre in Poznan from where the call was made for donations of aid. Iceland Health, Rehabilitation, Knowledge Centre and the SLF Training Centre decided to respond to this call immediately. Two days later 9 pallets with various aids were sent to Poland, such as wheelchairs, walkers, stand frames and work chairs. The devices in question were not used in Iceland anymore but were in excellent condition. The project required a great deal of cooperation between various parties, including the completion of various papers and permits in connection with customs clearance etc. The Ukrainian Association in Iceland carried out the transport of the equipment to Lublin, Poland in cooperation with the Golf Union of Iceland. Rotary in Lublin, Poland, received the aids and ensured transport to the destination in Poznan and Jónar transport, along with the above parties, worked day and night to make this a reality. Iceland Health thanks all these partners for their contributions to the project.
When the past year has been settled, it is natural that the future is also examined. It is my opinion that there are numerous opportunities to strengthen the activities of Iceland Health and to use its role more effectively to increase the success of the health service. In this context, Iceland Health has highlighted five priorities that must be addressed so that the agency can fulfil its role:
The role and mandate of the Agency must be clarified and its position as a purchaser of health services strengthened.
The agency must be guaranteed direct responsibility for all budget appropriations covered by its contracts and greater flexibility in response to 'bottlenecks' and excessive waiting for services.
It must be ensured that plans for the development of individual entitlement insurance coverage are realistic and that the development of the age structure of the population is fully taken into account.
An increased overview of the health services provided and the waiting for them must be provided, e.g. by direct transmission of all necessary data from the perpetrators to the institution.
Key activities of the Agency, in particular in the fields of data, analytics, contracts and information technology, need to be strengthened and its potential to attract and retain qualified staff must be improved.
The hope is that the Institute will do well in the coming years to work on these priorities in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the institutions of the health system.