This post is a little more about all that educational mumbo jumbo I'm "supposed to be" (and actually today) doing. I started bright and early with a lecture at the social security office, then a visit to the Qulturum (no it's not the vampire thing from Twilight), then ended with lunch and a tour of Ryhov hospital. But, no worries, even though it was earlier, my day started fantastic because I finally figured out how to work the microwave (still couldn't figure out the timer thought so I just had to stand and watch it lawlz).
So as I'm sure everyone knows, the Swedish people do things a little differently here. Basically, citizens are taxed around 30% (I know the number seems super high but just wait). In exchange for being taxed so heavily, the people are universally provided with healthcare and free education among other things. Even universities are free! It's definitely based heavily on the state rather than the market system. Even if someone loses their job, they still have those benefits. I don't know about you but that idea sounds crazy foreign and opposite to me of the US. Everything hinges on the citizens having so much trust in the state, which is evident in the culture.
That's what the social security lecture was about, the logistics. IT was a big ol long lecture that would put most people to sleep so I'll give my reader's digest version of a few of the crazy differences. First off, workers have at least 5 weeks of paid vacation a year. You heard me, FIVE WEEKS. As far as sick leave, a worker gets paid no salary the first day they are home sick. Days 2-14, workers are paid around 80% of their salary from their employer then after that they apply for sick leave from the social welfare office. If approved, from day 15 on, workers are paid up to 80% of their salary from the state. Of course there is a ceiling limit so a person with a higher wage might not get paid as high of a percent but still thats nuts. Now here comes my favorite fun fact. In Sweden, a couple (yes mother and father) gets 480 days of leave per child. 480 days!!! Not only that, but the time doesn't have to be consecutive so the parents can switch off (like mom takes a month, then dad, and so on). The only requirement is that 90 days are not transferable (meaning its up to the parents who takes how much of that time except for 90 days). The parents are even guaranteed their jobs/salary when they go back to work. I almost can't even wrap my head around that it's such a foreign idea to me. Poppin out babies in Sweden seems like living the life!
Next, I went to the Qulturum, which is sort of like a "think tank." Members of the community all gather and through meetings and conferences, they look at quality improvement in healthcare. It's a lot cooler than I'm making it sound like and the building was gorgeous! The type of projects they work on are all about self-care and "coaching" patients. It's all about "coaching" patients actively and collaboratively rather than just "teaching." It's about the health, not the care in health care.
The hospital was pretty stinkin cool. First off, the government gives health facilities money to spent on artwork and design and such because they think the environment is such an important part of care. I'm down with dat. It was nice not looking at sterile blank walls for once. The main part I want to touch on about the hospital is dat $$$$$$$ (that money). Yes the government provides the healthcare, but what do the citizens have to pay to go to the doctor? Surely it must be outrageously expensive right? Thats a big fat WRONG! For a doctors visit, people have to pay about 150 SEK (which equates to about $22. That covers any visit, from the flu to a broken hip! Then for a visit to a specialist for any reason, they pay around $45 without a referral or another $22 with one. Now comes the crazy part, once they pay 1800 SEK ($270) for any healthcare visits/treatments etc (per year), they are DUNZO. That's their yearly deductible. It doesn't matter if they have cancer or some other disease, once they reach 1800 SEK, they are done out of pocket. Wicked cool.
All this stuff sounds nice and peachy doesn't it? At first, I was so flabbergasted we don't have something like this in America but something tells me it wouldn't quite work hehe. The culture and views of government and society are very different here and thats what allows this system to function so well. IS YOUR MIND JUST BLOWN OR WHAT?!
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