• Reykjavík Hospital at Kirkjubrú 1 operated from 1866 to 1884. It was the first hospital in Reykjavík and was run by a private individual. It stood where the Government House now stands.

• The Reykjavík Hospital Association built the building at Þingholtsstræti 25 in Reykjavík as a hospital in 1884, and a mortuary beside it the following year. The association was founded by several civil servants and merchants on the King’s birthday, 6 October 1863. This was the only hospital in Reykjavík until 1902, when operations began at Landakot Hospital.

Áfangar.com: Þingholtsstræti 25 (infectious diseases)
Building survey, pp. 11–12

• J. Gudmanns Minde. The first hospital in Akureyri was located in the building at Aðalstræti 14, which Carl Gudmann donated to the town. The hospital was inaugurated on 7 July 1874 and operated by the town of Akureyri until the end of 1898.

• Teaching in forensic medicine began at the Medical School in Reykjavík in 1876.

• Ísafjörður Hospital was taken into use on Mánagata in 1897 but later moved to a new building inaugurated at Eyrartún on 17 June 1925. It is now the Ísafjörður Health Care Institution and is housed in a building that was fully taken into use on 30 April 1995.

• Laugarness Hospital was built by Danish Odd Fellow societies but operated by the Icelandic state from 1898 to 1940, when it was taken over for use by Allied forces. It burned down during the war years.

• The hospital in Akureyri. The second hospital in Akureyri was taken into use in 1899 at Spítalavegur 11–13 and operated by the town of Akureyri until 1953 (now the ski hotel in Hlíðarfjall).

• The French Hospital on Lindargata was built and operated by La Société des Hôpitaux Français d’Islande from 1903 to 1921.

• Landakot Hospital on Túngata began operations in 1902 and was the country’s main hospital and teaching hospital until Landspítali began operations.

• A French hospital in Fáskrúðsfjörður was taken into use in 1904 to serve French fishermen. It was operated until 1914 by Sociétés des Ouvriers de la Mer. It was then closed as a hospital, and the building was moved to Hafnarnes, in the southern part of Fáskrúðsfjörður, in 1939, where it served as a residence and a school. The building has since been moved back to Fáskrúðsfjörður, where it now operates as a hotel.

• Kleppur Hospital was taken into use when the first patient was admitted in 1907. A new building at Kleppur was inaugurated in 1929.

• Vífilsstaðir Hospital began operations for tuberculosis patients on 5 September 1910. From around 1970, respiratory patients were also admitted, and a treatment unit for patients with alcohol addiction, belonging to Kleppur Hospital, operated there from 1976 to 2002 (the psychiatric unit at Gunnarsholt was also closed in 2002). Landspítali’s operations at Vífilsstaðir ended in 2002 but resumed on 20 November 2013, when a nursing ward was transferred there from Landakot. Vífilsstaðir now houses a geriatric medicine ward for just over 40 patients.

• Kristnes Sanatorium was taken into use in 1927 as a health resort for tuberculosis patients. From 1976 it operated as a nursing and rehabilitation hospital (Kristnes Hospital). Akureyri Regional Hospital took over the operation of Kristnes Hospital on 1 January 1993, and it now houses a rehabilitation unit and a geriatric medicine unit.

• The first X-ray equipment arrived in Iceland in 1914.

• The infectious disease hospital at Þingholtsstræti 25 functioned as a general hospital from 1884 to 1903. It was Reykjavík’s main hospital until Landakot Hospital began operations in 1902. It housed the Medical School until 1911 and was later used as a residential building. It was taken back into use in 1920 for patients with infectious diseases and thereafter functioned as a specialist hospital until 1969. See also earlier in this list regarding Þingholtsstræti 25 when it functioned as a hospital.

• The foundation stone of Landspítali was laid on 15 June 1926.

• St. Jósef’s Hospital in Hafnarfjörður was inaugurated by Prefect Molenberg, who later became the Catholic Bishop of Iceland. Construction of the hospital for the St. Jósef Sisters on Suðurgata began in 1924, and the building was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson. The purpose of the sisters was to serve those living in Hafnarfjörður and the surrounding area, extending as far as the Reykjanes Peninsula. They ceased involvement in daily operations in 1978.

• Landspítali was taken into use on 20 December 1930.

• The country’s first maternity ward was opened at Landspítali at the end of 1930, and the first child was born there on 5 January 1931.

• The Department of Dermatology and Venereology began operations at Hringbraut in 1934.

• The St. Franciscan Order built St. Francis Hospital in Stykkishólmur, which was formally taken into use on 17 September 1936. Construction began in July 1933. The St. Franciscan Order operated the hospital for 70 years. The state acquired St. Francis Hospital through an agreement signed on 19 December 2006.

• The first precursor to an emergency department emerged when the on-call medical service was opened at Austurbæjarskóli in 1943. It was moved in 1955 to the Health Protection Station, for which the first sod was turned in 1949. The construction of the Health Protection Station was considered a milestone in the history of the healthcare system. The service was officially called “Læknavaktin” (the Medical On-Call Service) and operated under an agreement with the Health Insurance Fund. Until the 1980s, however, it was often referred to as “Bæjarvaktin” (the Municipal On-Call Service).

• The hospital of the charitable association Hvítabandið at Skólavörðustígur was inaugurated on 18 February 1934. The City of Reykjavík took over its operation in 1944.

• State Hospitals (Ríkisspítalar) were established in 1935 when the operations of all state-run hospitals and healthcare institutions were unified under a single administration and operator. These included Landspítali, Kleppur Hospital, Vífilsstaðir Hospital, the University Research Laboratory, and Kristnes Hospital. Akureyri Regional Hospital later took over Kristnes Hospital. State Hospitals (Landspítali) were removed from the Health Services Act in 2007.

• The on-call medical service at Austurbæjarskóli began operations in February 1943 and was later moved to the Health Protection Station on Barónsstígur.

• Sólheimar Hospital on Tjarnargata was established in 1945 as a maternity home and general hospital. The maternity home was closed after a few years, and the hospital continued operating as a general hospital until it was closed in 1969.

• Arnarholt was opened in 1946 as a residential institution for clients of the Reykjavík Poor Relief Committee.

• Akranes Hospital was taken into use on 4 June 1952, when the first patient was admitted. The hospital was owned by the municipality of Akranes. It became a regional hospital on 1 July 1961 and thereafter received funding from the state treasury. It is now Akranes Hospital and Health Care Centre (SHA).

• Akureyri Regional Hospital (FSA) began operations on 15 December 1953 (now Akureyri Hospital).

• The Blood Bank was opened in 1953.

• A nursing hospital was taken into use at the Health Protection Station in Reykjavík on 12 October 1955. One year later, the Municipal Hospital became a department of internal medicine and infectious diseases, and the activities in the building later became part of the City Hospital.

• A paediatric department was established at Landspítali in 1957, the first of its kind in Iceland.

• The Reykjavík Maternity Home was taken into use in 1960, but operations were discontinued in 1992. For a period thereafter, it was operated as part of the women’s department at Landspítali.

• The City Hospital (Borgarspítalinn) was opened in Fossvogur on 28 December 1967, and the first patient was admitted. Activities at the Health Protection Station related to infectious diseases and general internal medicine were then transferred to Fossvogur and became the hospital’s internal medicine department.

• The on-call medical service at the Health Protection Station was moved to the City Hospital in Fossvogur, and an emergency department began operations there on 29 May 1968 at E2. Patients from the infectious disease hospital were transferred to Fossvogur, where a new psychiatric department was opened at A2 on 25 June 1968.

• Blood filtration (haemodialysis) began at Landspítali on 15 August 1968. Peritoneal dialysis began in 1985.

• A child and adolescent psychiatric department began operations at Dalbraut 12 (BUGL) in 1970.

• Arnarholt became part of the psychiatric department of the City Hospital in 1971. Operations ceased in 2004.

• Hvítabandið at Skólavörðustígur was taken into use as a psychiatric department on 4 February 1970, with an inpatient ward until 1 September 1979, and thereafter as an outpatient and day treatment unit for psychiatric patients.

• The intensive care unit of the City Hospital, the first of its kind in Iceland, was taken into use on 25 October 1970.

• The first cardiac catheterisation was performed in 1970, one year after the cardiology diagnostics department began operations.

• The orthopaedics department began operations in 1972.

• The Pulmonary Research Laboratory of Landspítali was established in 1973.

• The rehabilitation department of the City Hospital was opened at Grensás on 26 April 1973, when the first patient was admitted there. The department included an inpatient ward at the Health Protection Station.

• Outpatient services provided by general practitioners began at Landspítali. This service was not connected to the on-call medical service at the Health Protection Station but formed part of general practitioners’ on-call duties outside daytime working hours.

• Operations of the inpatient rehabilitation ward began at Landspítali in 1974.

• Operations began in the Women’s Department Building at Hringbraut in March 1974.

• The neonatal unit of the paediatric department at Landspítali began operations in 1976.

• The radiology department of Landspítali acquired a cardiac catheterisation unit in 1975.

• A general outpatient clinic for psychiatric patients was opened in a new building at Hringbraut in 1979, marking the start of psychiatric department operations at Landspítali.

• Measurements of pulmonary ventilation began at the Pulmonary Research Laboratory of Landspítali in 1980.

• The on-call medical service at the Health Protection Station was moved in 1980 to a new wing of the emergency department, which was inaugurated that year.

• Cardiac surgery began in Iceland at Landspítali in 1986.

• The first MRI scanner was taken into use at Landspítali in 1992.

• An emergency reception service for victims of rape was established in Fossvogur in 1993.

• Reykjavík Hospital was established through the merger of the City Hospital and St. Jósef’s Hospital at Landakot on 1 January 1996.

• The nursing and rehabilitation department that began operations at the Health Protection Station in December 1967 was closed in December 1996.

• The state assumed responsibility for the operation and management of all departments of Reykjavík Hospital as of 1 January 1999. From that time, there was a joint governing board and a single chief executive officer overseeing both Landspítali and Reykjavík Hospital.

• A palliative care unit was opened in Kópavogur in 1999 under the auspices of Landspítali, with support from the Odd Fellows of Iceland.

• Landspítali and Reykjavík Hospital merged into Landspítali – University Hospital on 3 March 2000. The institution is now called Landspítali.

• Bariatric surgery using laparoscopic techniques began at Landspítali toward the end of the year 2000.

• The Blood Bank received a blood collection vehicle from the Icelandic Red Cross in 2002.

• The Children’s Hospital “Hringsins” was formally opened in a new building on 26 January 2003.

• The first kidney transplant in Iceland was performed at Landspítali on 2 December 2003.

• Stem cell transplantation using haematopoietic stem cells began at Landspítali toward the end of 2003.

• Rjóður, a rehabilitation and nursing home for chronically ill children, was opened in 2003 in Kópavogur by the Children’s Welfare Fund, with Landspítali responsible for its operation.

• St. Jósef’s Hospital and the Sólvangur nursing home in Hafnarfjörður merged into a single institution on 1 January 2006.

• An artificial heart was implanted in a patient at Landspítali for the first time on 9 May 2007.

• For the first time outside North America, landmark procedures were performed at Landspítali in May 2007 involving the implantation of diaphragmatic pacemakers in two individuals with respiratory paralysis caused by spinal cord injury.

• Landspítali and St. Jósef’s Hospital in Hafnarfjörður merged under the name Landspítali on 1 February 2011.

• A PET scanner was taken into use at Landspítali in September 2018.

• The groundbreaking for the Landspítali treatment centre at Hringbraut took place on 13 October 2018

• The Landspítali Patient Hotel was taken into use on 6 May 2019.

Árni Björnsson, 15 January 1998.

Landspítali in Reykjavík began operations on 20 December 1930. However, ideas for a hospital serving the entire country were not new, as in 1863 Jón Hjaltalín, then Director of Health, submitted a bill to the Althing proposing such a hospital, although the bill was not acted upon.

During the period from 1863 to 1930, several hospitals were operated in Reykjavík: Reykjavík Hospital from 1866 until after the turn of the century; St. Jósef’s Hospital at Landakot from 1902 to 1996; Kleppur Hospital (a mental asylum), established in 1907 and later merged into the State Hospitals and subsequently Landspítali; the French Hospital from 1904 to 1927; the Quarantine Hospital from 1903 to 1954; and Vífilsstaðir Sanatorium and the Infectious Disease Hospital from 1920 to 1969. The establishment of Landspítali was the result of a long and arduous struggle in which women were at the forefront, and they have since taken the initiative in many developments in hospital affairs in Iceland. On the foundation stone of the hospital, laid on 15 June 1926 by Her Majesty Queen Alexandrine, the following words are inscribed, among others:

“This building – LANDSSPÍTALINN – was erected with funds collected by Icelandic women and appropriated by the Althing in the national budget for the purpose of: RELIEVING AND HEALING.”

Buildings in the First Three Decades

The oldest part of Landspítali, which was taken into use in 1930, was designed by the then State Architect, Guðjón Samúelsson, and it took just over four years to build. At the outset, Landspítali had only two departments, namely the surgical department and the internal medicine department, while the first supporting department, the radiology department, began operations in January 1931. The original number of beds was 92, evenly divided between the two departments, although 12 of the beds in the surgical department were intended for women in childbirth. This activity remained associated with the surgical department until 1948, when a 50-bed maternity and gynaecology department began operations in a new building on the Landspítali grounds.

The number of hospital beds at Landspítali gradually increased, and during the period from 1939 to 1948 they numbered 125. This figure includes the dermatology and venereology department, which began operations in a separate building on the Landspítali grounds in 1934. It was operated by the internal medicine department but under the leadership of a specialist in dermatology and venereology who had worked with that department from the outset. This building, colloquially referred to as Sjöttan, later became the home of the Department of Clinical Biochemistry.

A paediatric department was opened in June 1957 and initially had 30 beds in premises that became available on the third floor of the hospital. The building of the University Research Laboratory was constructed in 1934, and from the outset it housed the departments of pathology, forensic medicine, and microbiology. The Blood Bank began operations at the end of 1953 in a separate building adjacent to the University Research Laboratory.

Development of Specialisation at Landspítali 1930–1960

In addition to the chief physicians of the internal medicine and surgical departments, one specialist worked at the hospital from the outset, a specialist in dermatology and venereology. In 1932, a specialist in ear, nose and throat medicine was added, and in 1934 a specialist in ophthalmology. None of these specialists, however, were permanently employed by the hospital.

In 1940, a specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics was appointed to the surgical department as a second assistant physician. He later became head physician of the maternity department after its establishment in 1948 and held that position for the rest of his life. In 1941, a specialist in orthopaedics was appointed to the surgical department; he also began plastic surgery within the department, later turned to general surgery, and became chief physician and professor of surgery from 1951 until his death. In 1946, a specialist in surgery who had specialised in urological surgery was appointed to the surgical department.

In 1951, a specially trained anaesthesiologist was appointed to the surgical department, and he was also appointed head of the Blood Bank. This arrangement remained in place until a separate head was appointed for the Blood Bank.

All of these specialists were initially appointed as assistant physicians and performed all duties, but specialisation developed gradually according to experience and individual fields of interest.

In the internal medicine department, developments were broadly similar to those in the surgical department, that is, physicians were appointed as assistant physicians who carried out all tasks as required, but gradually assumed responsibilities related to their specialised training and areas of interest. Thus, the first assistant physician in the internal medicine department, who became a specialist in internal medicine in 1930, had a particular interest in metabolic diseases. In 1935, an assistant physician became a specialist in neurology and later in gastroenterology; this same individual later became professor and chief physician of the department from 1948 to 1955. During the period from 1944 to 1948, an assistant physician worked in the department who had specialised in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Up until 1960, specialists in internal medicine who had specialised in various subspecialties of internal medicine worked in the department as assistant physicians and ward physicians, and three professors headed the department during this period.

A paediatric department was established at Landspítali in 1957, and two physicians were appointed to it.

From the outset, the laboratory of Landspítali was under the management of the internal medicine department. For a long time, the department consisted of only a single laboratory with one permanent staff member, but in 1958 a separate laboratory department was established and staffing was increased accordingly.

The radiology department began operations in 1931 and has been located in the hospital basement from the beginning. In addition to diagnostic radiology, radiation therapy and light therapy were also carried out there. The first chief physician of the department died in 1948, and his successor worked in the department until 1974. The scope of the department’s activities gradually increased, as until 1960 it was the only radiology department in the country capable of performing specialised tasks.

From 1960 to 1998

The east and west wings of the new hospital, the central section, and the connecting building were completed in 1965, along with the boiler house. In 1967, construction of the entrance hall of the new hospital (the Kringlan), together with the kitchen and corridor, was completed. In 1973, a connecting corridor within the new hospital and an expansion of the gynaecology department were completed. The psychiatric department of Landspítali was built during the years 1974–1983. During the years 1974–1976, two temporary buildings were constructed for the University’s laboratory on the Landspítali grounds; these were intended to last for five years but are still standing.

Major construction projects since 1983 have mostly been connected in some way to the construction of Building K, with the exception of the construction of an additional floor on top of the kitchen building, which now houses the rehabilitation department and was completed in 1991. Other projects include the expansion of the radiology department and the fitting out of an emergency department in the basement, opened in 1992. In recent years, a new intensive care unit has been fitted out on the third floor of the old hospital, the number of operating theatres has been increased, and existing theatres have been modernised. Recently, a decision was made to construct a new building on the Landspítali grounds for the Children’s Hospital “Hringsins.” The building will be located south of the women’s department building above the former Teachers’ College. Construction is planned to begin next year, and the new Children’s Hospital is expected to be taken into use in 2001.

Operations After 1960

Until 1960, no major changes occurred in the operations and services of Landspítali, but since then the number of specialised departments has increased steadily, and the services provided have become increasingly diverse, in line with developments in medical science elsewhere. During the early part of this period, or until around the mid-1980s, the main emphasis was placed on increasing the number of inpatient beds. Subsequently, technological developments have led to increased hospital capacity without the need to increase bed numbers, and in the most recent years the number of beds has been somewhat reduced.

Within internal medicine, the following departments are currently in operation: a general internal medicine department, which also provides services in endocrinology and infectious diseases; a rheumatology department since 1969; a cardiology and vascular disease department since 1966; an oncology and haematology department since 1961; a dialysis department since 1968; and a neurology department since 1967. At Vífilsstaðir Hospital, a pulmonary medicine department is operated in connection with the internal medicine department.

Within surgery, there are two general surgical departments, an orthopaedics department since 1972, a plastic surgery department with a burns unit since 1976, a urology department since 1972, a thoracic, vascular and pulmonary surgery department since 1976, and an anaesthesiology and intensive care department since 1974. In addition to intensive care following major surgical procedures, this department includes isolation rooms for intensive care of burn patients, as well as intensive care units for children and adults with acute illnesses requiring intensive care.

Outpatient clinics are operated in both internal medicine and surgery, and an emergency department was opened at the hospital in 1992.

At the paediatric department (the Children’s Hospital “Hringsins”), in addition to services for general paediatric illnesses, specialised services are provided in paediatric surgery, paediatric plastic surgery, paediatric oncology, and paediatric cardiology.

At the gynaecology and maternity department, in addition to general gynaecological services and obstetric care, oncology services are provided, as well as a department for assisted reproduction. A very active outpatient service is associated with the department.

At the psychiatric department, services are provided for all psychiatric patients, with a specialised unit for patients with alcohol addiction that includes a dedicated outpatient clinic. In addition to physicians and nurses, social workers and psychologists work in the department. In connection with the psychiatric department, but outside the hospital, a child and adolescent psychiatric department is also operated.

A geriatric medicine department was established in connection with Landspítali at Hátún 10b in 1975 and operated there thereafter, but was closed in 1997 and its operations transferred to Landakot Hospital, which is now part of Reykjavík Hospital.

The ophthalmology department was transferred from Landakot Hospital in 1997, and with it the professorship in ophthalmology was transferred to Landspítali.

Laboratories

In addition to the general laboratory departments in biochemistry and physiology that are operated in connection with the hospital’s daily activities, there is the University Research Laboratory in pathology, laboratories in microbiology, haematopathology, immunology, as well as an isotope laboratory. Research into genetic diseases is conducted under the auspices of these laboratories, the Blood Bank, and individual clinical departments.

Nursing

Nursing education was initially primarily vocational training, organised and operated by the hospital’s matron, who also served as head of the Nursing School until 1948. Physicians taught individual subjects other than nursing itself. The Nursing School was located at Landspítali until 1956, when it moved to its current premises. Since 1973, the programme has developed into university-level education and is now a separate department within the University of Iceland, where extensive research activity in nursing science is conducted alongside nursing education. This increased education of nurses has also led to greater specialisation within the profession, and specialised nurses now work in most specialised departments. Practical nurses were trained in connection with Landspítali until the Icelandic Practical Nurses’ School was established in 1975, and practical nurses now work in nearly all departments under the supervision of the Director of Nursing.

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation at Landspítali can be traced back as far as 1931, when a massage therapist was hired at the hospital. A rehabilitation department was fitted out in the hospital basement in 1968, where comprehensive rehabilitation services were provided for all hospital departments. At the end of 1991, the rehabilitation department moved to a floor built above the kitchen building, which has made it possible to provide improved and more diverse services.

Teaching of Medical Students and Scientific Activity

From its inception, Landspítali has been the country’s main teaching and university hospital. Nearly all professorships at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Iceland, as well as other teaching positions in the medical specialties taught there, are linked to the hospital and its operations. The majority of medical students’ education, both clinical and theoretical after the initial phase, takes place at Landspítali. Scientific research, both in connection with teaching and in the work of individual physicians, has steadily increased, and each year numerous scientific articles based on material from the hospital are published in both domestic and international scientific journals.

Library and Other Support Services

The foundation of a medical library was established at Landspítali in 1968. In 1986, the library moved into part of the nursing school and has since gradually expanded its activities there. The library now provides comprehensive services for hospital staff and others involved in education and research activities in medicine.

Kitchen operations at Landspítali began with its establishment, in cramped facilities. In 1973, the kitchen moved into newly constructed premises in the kitchen building. The kitchen now meets the dietary needs, including special dietary requirements, of all hospital staff and patients, and also supplies meals to all institutions outside the Landspítali grounds that are connected with the hospital’s operations.

A physics and technical services department was established at Landspítali in 1974. The department serves all hospital departments in matters relating to technical services, such as photography, maintenance, and repair of the hospital’s equipment, among other things.

Landakot Hospital has a long and distinguished history. In 1896, four Sisters of St. Jósef came to Iceland to care for the sick. St. Jósef’s Hospital was subsequently built in 1902, partly with funds collected in France at the initiative of Jón Sveinsson (Nonni). The hospital was formally taken into use on 16 October 1902.

The construction of St. Jósef’s Hospital was undertaken by the Sisters of St. Jósef. In the beginning, St. Jósef’s Hospital was the country’s only teaching hospital and throughout its history it served as an active educational institution for healthcare professions. Emergency services were provided at the hospital, and in later years there was also extensive day-care and outpatient services. In 1976, the Sisters of St. Jósef sold the hospital to the Icelandic state, and it was operated as a self-governing institution until the end of 1995. At that time, St. Jósef’s Hospital merged with the City Hospital, forming Reykjavík Hospital.

Initially, there were 40 hospital beds in the oldest building, which no longer stands. The hospital was later expanded, first with the west wing in 1935 and then the east wing in 1962, at which point the number of hospital beds had increased to 195.

The Sisters of St. Jósef carried out extensive pioneering work for the benefit of the sick in Iceland, and for this the nation owes them a debt of gratitude. In 1976, changes were made to the hospital’s operational arrangements when the Icelandic state purchased it from the Sisters of St. Jósef, and the Self-Governing Institution of St. Jósef’s Hospital took over operations.

The first geriatric medicine department in Hátún was opened in October 1975, and one year later two additional departments were opened. A few years later, a day hospital and outpatient clinic were opened. In 1997, operations were transferred to Landakot, with the exception of the geriatric assessment unit, which was moved to Landspítali at Hringbraut.

Due to a shortage of nursing care beds for the elderly in Reykjavík, work on the B wing of the hospital began in 1977. The first department opened in 1983, and eventually there were three departments.

In 1994, the geriatric medicine department of the City Hospital was formally established, with emphasis placed on the principles of geriatric medicine and team-based care.

A turning point occurred in January 1996, when St. Jósef’s Hospital and the City Hospital merged under the name Reykjavík Hospital (SHR). At that time, the geriatric services division of SHR was established. A policy was adopted whereby specialised hospital services for the elderly would be provided at Landakot. One acute geriatric medicine department remained at the City Hospital, while other departments of the City Hospital were transferred to Landakot. At the same time, the geriatric medicine departments of Landspítali in Hátún were transferred to Landakot, with the exception of one department that moved to Hringbraut. The geriatric departments of Hafnarbúðir (opened in 1977) and Hvítabandið (opened in 1982) were transferred to Landakot in 1997. From 1996 onward, geriatric services at the hospitals were operated in close cooperation between Reykjavík Hospital and Landspítali.

Landspítali – University Hospital was established on 16 May 2000 through the merger of Reykjavík Hospital and Landspítali. As a result of this merger, a new geriatric services division was created, with operations at Landakot and an acute geriatric medicine department, B4, in Fossvogur. In September 2001, a department for pulmonary patients was transferred from Vífilsstaðir, and in October 2001 a nine-bed palliative care unit was formally opened at Landakot. This unit was later closed, and geriatric departments were reopened at Vífilsstaðir. Operations of the geriatric medicine departments fall under the patient flow division of Landspítali.

Vífilsstaðir Hospital was opened as a hospital for tuberculosis patients in 1910.

Vífilsstaðir Hospital was designed by Rögnvaldur Ólafsson, one of the founders of the Icelandic Society of Engineers.

The construction of the building was completed in 16 months.

From around 1970, patients with respiratory diseases were admitted to Vífilsstaðir, and a treatment unit for patients with alcohol addiction, which belonged to Kleppur Hospital, operated there from 1976 to 2002.

Hrafnista has operated a nursing home for the elderly at Vífilsstaðir since the beginning of 2004. Most residents there are transferred from geriatric departments at Landspítali.

The origins of the operation of the State Hospitals can be traced back to 1907, when operations began at Kleppur Hospital. Three years later, Vífilsstaðir Hospital was taken into use. Landspítali began operations in 1930 and was from the outset the country’s largest hospital and the main teaching institution of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Iceland.

In 1935, the operations of all state-run hospitals and healthcare institutions were unified under a single administration and operator known as the State Hospitals. These included:

• Landspítali, Kleppur Hospital

• Vífilsstaðir Hospital

• The University Research Laboratory, and

• Kristnes Hospital in Eyjafjörður

Akureyri Regional Hospital later took over the operation of Kristnes Hospital. At the other locations, departments were operated as part of Landspítali.

Additional departments were later added to Landspítali.

The State Hospitals were removed from legislation with the entry into force of the Health Services Act on 1 September 2007.

The City Hospital, which was established and operated by the City of Reykjavík, was formally opened on 28 December 1967, when the first inpatient department began operations. However, the radiology department, sewing workshop, cleaning services, linen services, and other departments had begun operations somewhat earlier.

The hospital immediately took an active role in the education of healthcare professions, and in this regard it should be noted that the City Hospital operated a practical nurses’ school from 1966 until the Icelandic Practical Nurses’ School took over that education.

The City Hospital immediately became the country’s main emergency and trauma hospital and provided both general and specialised healthcare services.

The history of the City Hospital concluded with its merger with St. Jósef’s Hospital at Landakot in 1996 to form Reykjavík Hospital, and in 2000 when it merged with Landspítali into Landspítali – University Hospital, now known as Landspítali.

Reykjavík Hospital was established around the turn of the years 1995–1996 through the merger of the City Hospital and St. Jósef’s Hospital at Landakot, and was operated by the City of Reykjavík until the end of 1998.

Reykjavík Hospital was the country’s main emergency hospital and provided accident and emergency services around the clock. The hospital operated services in Fossvogur, at Landakot, at Grensás, at Arnarholt on Kjalarnes, and at Hvítabandið on Skólavörðustígur.

In 2000, Reykjavík Hospital and Landspítali merged into Landspítali – University Hospital, now known as Landspítali.

In Reykjavík, there were two hospitals from 1 January 1996: the State Hospitals (Landspítali) and Reykjavík Hospital. The latter was established at that time through the merger of the City Hospital and St. Jósef’s Hospital at Landakot. Landspítali was established in 1930. It included, among others, long-established healthcare institutions in the capital area such as Kleppur Hospital and Vífilsstaðir Hospital, as well as Arnarholt and Gunnarsholt.

Landspítali – University Hospital Is Established

Landspítali – University Hospital was established through the merger of the State Hospitals (Landspítali) and Reykjavík Hospital in early 2000. The state had taken over the operation of Reykjavík Hospital on 1 January 1999, in accordance with an agreement between the Minister of Health and Social Security, the Minister of Finance, and the Mayor of Reykjavík dated 17 December 1998. Nevertheless, the hospital was to be operated for one year in the same manner as before.

The boards and executive management of the hospitals therefore remained in place for one year. However, a single chief executive officer was appointed over both hospitals, Magnús Pétursson, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the hospitals on 1 January 1999. The hospitals remained independent institutions, but their cooperation was increased.

The terms of office of the hospital boards expired at the end of 1999, and on 21 December 1999 the Althing therefore elected a joint governing board for the hospitals, the State Hospitals and Reykjavík Hospital. The board was chaired by Guðný Sverrisdóttir, municipal manager of Grenivík.

Following these decisions, the Minister of Health instructed the governing board and the Chief Executive Officer to prepare proposals for a new organisational structure for the hospitals and to submit them to the Ministry of Health no later than 18 February 2000.

At a meeting on 16 January 2000, the governing board of the hospitals decided how the preparation of the new governance structure should proceed. In essence, the decision involved simplifying the governance system by appointing a single executive management, with provision made for one Medical Director and one Director of Nursing. The Chief Executive Officer and the Chair of the governing board were tasked with preparing a proposal for the overall governance structure, including the size of the executive management and the division of responsibilities within it.

At its meeting on 2 February 2000, the governing board approved a request to the Minister of Health to begin preparations for the merger of the hospitals. This was formally done by letter dated 3 February 2000.

At a meeting on 16 February 2000, the governing board approved a proposal for the organisational structure of the new hospital and submitted it to the Minister of Health on the same day, together with an explanatory memorandum. Also attached was a declaration of intent between the University of Iceland and the hospitals in Reykjavík.

Upon receiving the committee’s proposals regarding the organisational structure of the new institution, the Minister of Health announced on 18 February 2000 that the hospitals in Reykjavík would be merged. The merger was sealed on 3 March by Regulation No. 127/2000 of the Minister of Health on the merger of healthcare institutions, which was published and entered into force on the same day. The regulation addresses the merger of Landspítali and Reykjavík Hospital into Landspítali – University Hospital.

The governing board proposed the name Landspítali – University Hospital to the Ministry. The name reflects the emphasis placed on the role of the new institution as a university hospital.

The governing board also decided that the logo of Reykjavík Hospital would become the logo of Landspítali – University Hospital.

In designing the logo, consideration was given to interpreting the hospital’s activities and location in a simple manner. Four shapes representing the regions of the country form a white medical cross. Their shape is intended to symbolise care and shelter. The colours of the logo represent life and the colours of the country.

The Founding Meeting at Borgarleikhúsið

The formal annual and founding meeting of Landspítali – University Hospital was held at Borgarleikhúsið on 16 May 2000, attended by a large number of guests. Among them was Ingibjörg Pálmadóttir, Minister of Health and Social Security, who delivered an address.

The event was very impressive, with the stage beautifully decorated and a varied programme combining speeches, music, readings, and the customary proceedings of an annual meeting.

Hospital staff formed a choir for the occasion and sang “Vorvísur á sameiningardögum” (“Spring Verses on the Days of Merger”) by physician Pál Ásmundsson. Ragnheiður Haraldsdóttir, office director at the Ministry of Health and Social Security, served as master of ceremonies and also recalled excerpts from the hospital’s history. A new hospital website was launched.

The institution’s technical staff provided radio coverage of the event, in accordance with a licence granted by the Post and Telecom Administration for radio broadcasting in connection with the meeting, as well as a live broadcast on the Internet. They also recorded the founding meeting on video, which was shown on the hospital’s internal television systems.

The meeting concluded with a reception in the theatre’s foyer.

Landspítali

When the Health Services Act No. 40 of 27 March 2007 was enacted, the name of the hospital was changed so that the latter part, namely the words “University Hospital,” was removed. Under the law, the institution is named Landspítali. With the entry into force of the new health legislation, the hospital’s governance structure was changed. This included, among other things, the abolition of the governing board, which had been part of the organisational structure of the national hospital since 1935. The final meeting of the governing board, under the leadership of Birna Kr. Svavarsdóttir, Director of Nursing at the Eir nursing home, was held on 30 August 2007.

The Advisory Committee Operated for Four Years

In 2018, the Minister of Health appointed nine members and an equal number of alternates to the advisory committee of Landspítali for a term of four years. The role of the committee was to provide advice and opinions to the Chief Executive Officer and executive management on the hospital’s services, operations, and administration. The committee was intended, among other things, to discuss the hospital’s annual operational and financial plans and its long-term strategy. The committee was also to include representatives of users of the hospital’s services.

The Board of Landspítali Appointed in 2022

With amendments to the health legislation on 9 June 2022, the advisory committee was set aside and a board was appointed for Landspítali. The Minister of Health appoints five members to the board, and two alternates, for two-year terms. In addition, the Minister appoints two observers from among Landspítali staff, with the right to speak and make proposals, but without voting rights.

Cooperation Between Landspítali and the University of Iceland

Landspítali and the University of Iceland shall enter into a cooperation agreement, which shall, among other things, provide for regular consultation meetings between the Chief Executive Officer of Landspítali and the Rector of the University. Landspítali and the University of Iceland shall establish rules of procedure regarding matters concerning employees who have duties towards both institutions. These rules shall be confirmed by the Minister and published in the Official Gazette.

Landspítali’s Participation in Research and Development Companies

With the approval of the Minister, Landspítali is authorised to hold ownership interests in research and development companies that are limited companies, self-governing institutions, or limited liability companies, and that engage in production and sales for the purpose of utilising and developing the results of research carried out by the hospital at any given time. The Chief Executive Officer of Landspítali represents the hospital’s ownership interests in such companies.

Chief Executive Officers of Landspítali Since 1999

• Runólfur Pálsson, specialist in internal medicine and nephrology at Landspítali and Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, from 1 March 2022.

• Guðlaug Rakel Guðjónsdóttir, Director of the Treatment Division at Landspítali, from 11 October 2021 to 28 February 2022 (temporary appointment).

• Páll Matthíasson, Executive Director of the Mental Health Division at Landspítali, from 30 September 2013 to 10 October 2021.

• Björn Zoëga, Executive Director of Medical Services at Landspítali, from 1 October 2010 to 30 September 2013.

• Hulda Gunnlaugsdóttir, Chief Executive Officer of Akers University Hospital in Oslo, from 1 September 2008 to 1 July 2010.

• Anna Stefánsdóttir, Executive Director of Nursing, and Björn Zoëga, Executive Director of Medical Services at Landspítali, jointly served as Chief Executive Officers from 1 April 2008 to 9 October 2008.

• Jóhannes Gunnarsson, Executive Director of Medical Services at Landspítali – University Hospital, from 1 September 2004 during Magnús Pétursson’s eight-month study leave.

• Magnús Pétursson, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, from 1 May 1999 to 31 March 2008. From 1999 until the merger of Landspítali and Reykjavík Hospital, Magnús served as Chief Executive Officer of both hospitals, and thereafter of the merged hospital.