A general practitioner should be your choice if you need routine medical care. Their practice is at the Health Care Centre (Heilsugæslustöð), which is generally open Monday - Friday: 8.00 - 16.45. General practitioners can refer you to a specialist if needed.
If you fall ill outside normal open hours, you can either go to:
Doctors on-call Service, (Læknavaktin)
Akureyri Primary Health Care Centre,
(Heilsugæslustöðin á Akureyri)
Hafnarstræti 99
600 Akureyri
tel: 460-4600
N.B.: You should, if possible, make an appointment beforehand.
OR you can go to the:
Emergency Department (Slysadeild)
Akureyri Hospital (Fjórðungssjúkrahúsið á Akureyri)
600 Akureyri
tel: 463-0100
You should go to the Emergency Department (Slysadeild) if you are ever injured in an accident.
The emergency number is 112.
Insurance
The Icelandic social security system is a residence-based system. To be insured with the SSSI (State Social Security Institute, Tryggingastofnun Ríkisins) a person must have been registered with a domicile in the National Registry for six months. Iceland is a part of the European Economic Area. The EEA agreement includes regulations on the application of social security plans to employed persons, to self-employed persons, and to members of their families moving within the community. Iceland also has an agreement on social security with the other Nordic countries, the United Kingdom, and Austria that covers those who are not already covered by the EEA agreement. Persons from EEA states can bring with them form E104/N104 to confirm insurance for the last six months in the country of origin and thus be insured from the date of their entry in the National Registry. A national health insurance card is issued for those persons insured in Iceland.
For detailed information on the Icelandic health care system consult the Europa website:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/missoc/index_en.html
Persons insured in EEA states should bring forms E106, E109, E111.
A person who is not insured in Iceland or other EEA states can obtain medical assistance but must, of course, pay in full. That person can then seek reimbursement from his own insurance in the country of origin or with his private insurance.
The information below is aimed at persons insured in Iceland with the SSSI (Tryggingastofnun Ríkisins):
You can apply for a national health insurance card at the SSSI office in Tryggvagata 28, 101 Reykjavík. Here you fill out a form and choose a general practitioner (heimilislæknir) from a list of doctors practising in the area where you live. If you are insured in an EEA state, you should bring your EEA certificate to the SSSI office (Tryggingastofnun Ríkisins, Sjúkratryggingadeild), Laugavegur 114, 105 Reykjavík.
Fees
You should keep all of your receipts for consultations with doctors and specialists because if they amount to more than a certain sum per year (see enclosed price list) you can apply for a discount card (afsláttarkort).
Consultation fees vary for different types of treatment. A tariff is available at all health care centres as well as at the State Social Security Institute (Tryggingastofnun Ríkisins), Laugavegur 114, 105 Reykjavík.
Pharmacies and Prescriptions
Pharmacies (apótek) are generally open Monday - Friday: 9.00 - 18.00
There is, however, always one pharmacy open until 22.00 and another one open 24 hours a day. To find out which are open look in the daily newspapers, read the sign in a pharmacy window, or phone 552 1230 and ask for this information.
Opticians
If there is something wrong with your eyes, you should go to an ophthalmologist (augnlæknir). If you need a new pair of glasses or contact lenses, go to a dispensing optician, who will supply and fit your prescription. You will find ophthalmologists in the telephone directory yellow pages under the heading AUGNLÆKNAR and opticians under GLERAUGNAVERSLANIR.
Dentists
Check for dentists in the telephone directory yellow pages under the heading TANNLÆKNASTOFUR. Dentists' charges are not covered by the National Health Insurance Plan, so you will have to pay whatever amount your dentist charges.
Vaccinations
There are no obligatory vaccinations, but Icelandic health authorities recommend Polio and Tetanus-dipteria vaccinations at ten-year intervals for Icelandic and foreign citizens.
Drugs
All drug dealing is strictly forbidden in Iceland. The use of drugs is also against the law and carries heavy penalties.
For further information contact:
The Ministry of Health and Social Security (Heilbrigðis- og Tryggingamálaráðuneytið)
Laugavegur 116, 105 Reykjavík
tel: 560 9700
The State Social Security Institute (Tryggingastofnun Ríkisins)
International Division (Alþjóðadeild)
Laugavegur 114, 105 Reykjavík
tel: 560 4400, fax: 562 4535
