About us

Person‑centred care is a core principle at the hospital, guiding both the organisation and its clinicians. In practice, this means that care is organised around the individual patient, with a strong emphasis on participation and responsiveness to patients’ needs.

Founded in the 18th century as a small charitable hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital has evolved over more than two centuries into a comprehensive hospital network delivering both general healthcare and advanced, highly specialised services.

The hospital is named after Niclas Sahlgren (1701–1776), a Swedish merchant and philanthropist whose donation laid the foundation for Sahlgrenska Hospital in Gothenburg in 1772.

Combining a 250‑year legacy with continuous renewal and growing specialisation remains a defining strength of Sahlgrenska University Hospital. It continues to serve patients and advance care across generations, with the ambition to do so for many more to come.

Sahlgrenska University Hospital has been licensed to provide national specialised medical care by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. The 45 provided licenses cover highly specialised treatments and conditions within cancer care, children’s specialist care, heart, lung and vascular care, transplantation and organ failure, neurology and rehabilitation, rare and congenital conditions, surgery and reconstructive care, and mental health.

Licensed hospitals must demonstrate the highest levels of expertise, accessibility and multidisciplinary collaboration to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients. By concentrating expertise, research and clinical experience, national specialised medical care ensures that patients with rare, complex or highly demanding conditions have access to the most advanced treatment available in Sweden.

More information at the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare

European Reference Networks (ERNs) are EU-funded, cross-border networks that bring together highly specialised healthcare providers to improve care for people living with rare and complex diseases. By enabling clinicians across Europe to collaborate virtually, ERNs allow expertise to travel rather than the patient, supporting more accurate diagnoses and access to specialist treatment.

See which ERNs Sahlgrenska University Hospital is part of

Sahlgrenska University Hospital operates within Sweden’s publicly funded healthcare system, often referred to internationally as the Swedish healthcare model. It delivers care based on need rather than ability to pay, with the overarching ambition of serving all patients on equal terms and ensuring equitable access to high‑quality care.

About the Swedish health care system (National Board of Health and Welfare)

The hospital is governed by a Board of Directors and the Hospital Management.

Board of directors

Hospital management