Waiting for health services

Prioritisation

Persons with the most urgent health needs are prioritised, including those with severe emergencies, life-threatening diseases, and accidents. Therefore, individuals requiring treatment for minor illnesses and accidents may have to wait.

Some delays within the health system are expected. Healthcare institutions must plan their activities, such as staffing, supplies, and operating room utilisation. Waiting times can vary across healthcare institutions and among physicians. In addition, patients often must take steps before receiving health services, such as undergoing surgery, due to family and work obligations. Patients, in consultation with their physician, may postpone a surgical procedure, but doing so will increase the waiting time.

Criteria for waiting for health services

Waiting time is the period from when the patient contacts the health service due to symptoms or when the need for the relevant service is identified. (This time limit does not apply in an emergency or to the diagnosis and treatment of malignant diseases.)

The general criteria of the Directorate of Health are:

• Same-day contact with primary health care.

• Visit a general physician within five days.

• An examination by a specialist within 30 days.

• Specialist surgery/treatment within 90 days of diagnosis.

According to the Patients' Rights Act, physicians must explain to their patients why they are waiting for surgery or other treatment. They are also obliged to provide information on the estimated waiting time and the possibility of having the necessary treatment performed sooner elsewhere.

Iceland Health has agreements with Klíníkin and Orkuhúsið to perform a specified number of joint replacement surgeries per month. These agreements apply to individuals who are on the waiting lists of Landspítali (The National University Hospital of Iceland), Akureyri Hospital, or the West Iceland Healthcare Authority in Akranes.

Invitations to use this option (subject to health-related criteria) are sent via questionnaires in Heilsuvera. For technical reasons, the Directorate of Health sends out the questionnaires on behalf of Iceland Health. Iceland Health decides how many individuals can be offered surgery at any given time based on the number of available slots with the contracted providers. When invitations are issued, they reference the date the waiting period began.

Questionnaires have been sent to individuals who were already on the waiting lists of Landspítali, Akureyri Hospital, or the West Iceland Healthcare Authority as of 30 September 2025. If you were registered on a waiting list at any of these institutions before that date and have not received a questionnaire, please email lidskipti@landlaeknir.is to request one.

Health-insured individuals can receive health services in another EEA member state and be reimbursed for costs by their health insurance, provided certain conditions are met. More information is available on the Icelandic Health Insurance website.