Kry is accused of attracting patients to the health center

Of: Adam westin

Published: 04 October 2020 at 18.10
Updated: October 04, 2020 at 6:22 p.m.

Kry has launched a new health center in the Gallerian shopping center in Stockholm.

More than 10,000 people have switched to it, but the care app is accused of misleading patients.

– I think Kry does this systematically, says Ylva Sandström, president of the District Medical Association in Stockholm.

On September 1, Kry opened a health center in Gallerian, a shopping mall in central Stockholm.

Since then, more than 10,000 stockholmers have “registered” at the new health center. It is a very rapid expansion. Kry also has health centers in the Östermalm district, in Lund, Malmö and Nyköping. They have also taken over a chain with 14 health centers in Sweden.

Photo: KRY

Kry has opened a new health center in Gallerian.

“It is very easy to be wrong”

Last week, Dr. Ylva Sandström, president of the Stockholm District Medical Association, began receiving alerts from medical colleagues.

The patients had “accidentally” left their old health center in connection with booking video appointments with Kry. Now, instead, Kry was the health center where the patients belonged.

– I logged into the Kry app myself and saw how it looked. And it is very easy to make mistakes, it is not clear that in this way you choose to leave the health center you have, says Ylva Sandström.

In connection, for example, with the desire to book a video conference in the Krys app, the following message appears, along with a picture of the doctor responsible for Krys:

At Kry we can process most things via video, but sometimes a physical exam is needed. We have now opened a health center near you. Register with us and we can make an appointment for you at the health center if you need it ”.

Lose money to Kry

You can press “Select Kry” or “Not Now”. But if you choose Kry, accept the terms and sign with BankID, you have changed the health center you belong to.

– The other day we had several patients who contacted us to reserve a prescription, book an appointment or similar. When we said that they were now on the Kry list, they were very surprised and said, “I was on vacation and needed a prescription” or “I would just ask for a crown sample.” Patients apparently do not understand the meaning of the “Select Kry” button and the BankID signature. And they don’t understand what the consequences are for us either, says Sara Banegas, operations manager at the Ekerö care center, part of Praktikertjänst.

“They are crafty”

Each health center receives compensation for each patient it has “included”. For the Ekerö call center, this is an average of 1,500 SEK per person per year, estimates the operations manager.

Ylva Sandström, president of the District Medical Association in Stockholm, says Kry does not break the rules, but has still attracted patients in a systematic and dubious way.

– Kry is cunning. They do not formally violate any rules, but perhaps express themselves a little vaguely that there should be room for misunderstandings, says Ylva Sandström, president of the District Medical Association in Stockholm.

The region is reviewing the guidelines

Anna Starbrink (left), regional health and health care adviser in Stockholm, is basically very positive that Kry and other online medical companies are opening physical health centers.

But after the alarms, the health and medical care administration in Stockholm is developing new general guidelines. In an email to Aftonbladet, they write that there have been “unusually large changes” during the month of September and that many of those who have recently switched health centers have probably enrolled in Kry.

– People should be able to choose where they want to appear on the list, but it is also incredibly important that we as patients understand what it means. I think that concepts like “listing” are not so clear to everyone. That’s why our employees work to develop clearer guidelines for what information looks like to patients, says Anna Starbrink.

“It should be easy to list”

Multiple votes are raised because you must choose your healthcare facility on a neutral platform, rather than on the provider of care. For example, 1177 Vårdguiden.

But that’s not the case in Stockholm, says Anna Starbrink.

– You probably want to avoid it. I think it should be easy for citizens to register, and then I think the information can be made available from the care providers. But of course it should also be clear. That you can only be on the list of one health center, and if you change, you leave the old one, says Anna Starbrink (left).

The Stockholm Region states that there are 10,586 people in one of the two Krys health centers. The approximate listing fee is SEK 1.5 million, they write.

This is how Kry responds

Kry refers to answering questions via email. The company responds that the information reflects the form approved by the region. Nor does it say to leave your old health center when you trade for a new one, writes communications manager Julia Levander.

“Of course, the list should be an informed and active choice, and we listen to feedback from our patients and continually adjust to make the choice of care clearer in the app,” writes the communications manager.

Ylva Sandström, president of the District Medical Association in Stockholm, believes that you consciously express yourself vaguely for patients to include you on the list. It is true?

“No, there is no end in itself for us to have a list of patients who do not want to be.” You should enroll in Kry because you appreciate availability and quality care, and therefore you want to choose us as your primary care provider, “writes Julia Levander.

Kry also responds that they have a dialogue with the region on how the guidelines regarding listing in Kry and other health centers can be improved.

Published: 04 October 2020 at 18.10