With a name meaning ‘fit’ or ‘well’ in Swedish, Kry is Europe’s leading digital healthcare provider on a mission to create a truly connected and scalable healthcare ecosystem. Kalle Conneryd Lundgren, CEO, passionately discusses the growing need for an effective digital care model as Europe’s health needs continue to evolve and costs rise.
FROM SVERIGE WITH CARE
In response to the severe lack of timely access to quality healthcare across Europe, Kry was co-founded in Sweden in 2015 by entrepreneur, Johannes Schildt.
Born from a deeply personal place and in response to a universal challenge, what began as a bold idea to make healthcare more accessible has now grown into the region’s leading digital-first healthcare provider.
Today, the company helps more than 12 million people annually, with over 200 million patient interactions to date across its four key markets – Sweden, Norway, the UK, and France.
“Many of our patients are able to consult with a qualified health professional in minutes through the Kry platform, either via their smartphone, tablet, or a physical visit to one of our 60+ clinics,” introduces Kalle Conneryd Lundgren, CEO.
Having built a workforce that reflects the depth and diversity of modern healthcare, the company currently employs approximately 900 staff and 3,000 medical professionals – and counting – across various health disciplines.
These include general practice (GP), occupational health, dermatology, physiotherapy, gynaecology, psychology, and advanced nurse practitioners.
“It’s been great to see digital healthcare evolve as a critical part of healthcare delivery throughout Europe, and we’re proud to have played a significant part in making this happen,” Lundgren adds.
As the sector continues to develop, Kry remains at the forefront of its transformation.
“On a mission to create a truly connected healthcare ecosystem, we are working to seamlessly embed digital innovation into traditional care models – empowering patients, supporting healthcare professionals, and improving health outcomes across Europe,” he states.
A POWERFUL ENABLER
Kry has demonstrated how digital healthcare isn’t just convenient – it’s a powerful enabler of better, convenient access to care.
“Many of our patients choose to start their healthcare journey via our app or at one of our clinics if needed, where they are guided to the appropriate level of care based on a combination of demographics, clinical urgency, patient preference, long-term care needs, and current waiting times,” Lundgren explains.
Unlike traditional systems, Kry’s approach is patient-first and navigation-driven.
“Whilst the technology is not sold as a standalone product, we offer integrations with existing digital platforms – such as the UK’s NHS app or regional patient-facing tools in Sweden,” he continues.
Kry’s aim in these instances is to create a seamless and scalable model that fits into existing healthcare platforms to enable access to care.
Across many public healthcare systems in Europe, fragmentations, delays, and complexities are not uncommon.
“Patients often find themselves chasing appointments in systems where GPs are under pressure and incentivised to limit consultations.”
In contrast, Kry makes care more accessible, responsive, and efficient, helping to reduce unnecessary system strain or waste and improve outcomes for all involved.
As such, one of the company’s biggest differentiators is its ability to empower patients through choice and a complete care experience through its digi-physical care model.
“Patients can decide how, where, and when they can access care – whether this be digitally or in person,” Lundgren outlines.
When combined with rapid access – patients are typically seen within 30 to 60 minutes, seven days a week – this flexibility is a major reason why Kry consistently scores highly in patient satisfaction surveys.
A TECHNOLOGY-ENABLED HEALTH FUTURE
Guided by a strong belief that technology-enabled digital and physical care can connect the dots and keep people healthier, Kry is equipped to respond to a range of healthcare needs, including long-term chronic diseases, diagnoses and specialist care for women’s health, and mental health therapy.
Having already transformed the healthcare landscape in Sweden with a seamless digital and physical care model, Kry has increased accessibility for 60 to 80 percent of patients – all at a significantly lower cost to society than traditional models.
“In this way, we’ve also preserved physical care capacity for those who need it most,” Lundgren points out.
Kry believes it’s all about ensuring doctors are free to do what they do best, supported by cutting-edge systems and a multi-disciplinary workforce.
Today, 25 percent of Sweden’s population is registered with Kry – which is currently more nationwide subscribers than Netflix.
“It’s a testament to the trust we’ve earned and the strength of our digi-physical operating model that can scale across all markets,” he prides.
Elsewhere, in France, nearly half the population is living without access to a GP. In this instance, digital healthcare can get patients the care they need without travelling miles to obtain it.
The company now supports at least 40 percent of the French population living in medical deserts.
In the UK, meanwhile, Kry’s collaboration with the NHS remains strong and continues to grow as it provides digital GP appointments to over three million patients and supports GPs across a third of integrated care systems and 140 primary care networks.
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“Our digital appointments offload the physical system, and our tools take the burden off GPs by eliminating unnecessary admin so they can spend more time seeing patients, not shuffling paperwork,” Lundgren asserts.
INTEGRATION IS KEY
Crucial to building a more accessible and sustainable healthcare system, Lundgren is keen to point out how integrating both digital and physical healthcare works better for patients, clinicians, and society.
“Our model enables a significant share of patient interactions to be handled digitally and remotely, allowing GPs and clinical teams to focus on more complex or long-term cases that require in-person attention,” Lundgren details.
This ensures patients receive care in the setting best suited to their needs alongside optimising capacity.
Typically, patients access Kry’s services via a dedicated app, where they can choose appointment times and complete a symptom form.
This process can also be accessed via public health channels, GP practices, the NHS app, or through the company’s insurance and employer partners across Europe.
“From there, our proprietary technology platform assesses each patient’s clinical needs and routes them to the most appropriate care channel – whether this be digital or physical.”
As such, Kry’s strength lies in combining technology with a trusted network of healthcare professionals and partner clinics.
Patients can access digital consultations, book physical appointments, track prescriptions, and, in some markets, even order medications for home delivery – all within a single, unified platform.
In addition, patients’ care records are accessible from end-to-end, ensuring continuity across every touchpoint whilst assuring doctor-patient confidentiality.
In Sweden, for example, Kry’s platform supports a range of healthcare professionals, all working remotely to expand capacity without the need for new physical practices.
This digital ‘offload’ reduces phone traffic, eases patient triage, and makes time for deeper care where it’s truly needed.
With better tools and smarter workflows, the day-to-day experience of healthcare professionals is also improved, creating a more sustainable and supportive working environment.
“In fact, in many of the regions Kry serves, we are the only provider with a waiting list of healthcare professionals wanting to join,” Lundgren shares.
RELIEVING THE BURDEN
A key part of its founding mission, Kry believes most patients can, and should, seek healthcare remotely.
“It has been interesting to see the step change of the UK government in its acceptance and use of digital tools since we opened Livi in 2018,” Lundgren notes.
Kry’s digital healthcare system in the UK, Livi, is focused on creating a truly connected healthcare system with better outcomes for patients, healthcare professionals, and public-private partners.
With a 10-year plan unveiled by the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care this summer, prior nerves and suspicion surrounding digital appointments have subsided, and the tide now seems to be shifting as it sets new parameters for digital-first appointments.
“Through sheer grit and focus, we have already proven that by managing most of our patient contacts digitally, we can significantly reduce the cost of care whilst relieving the burden on physical infrastructure and improving patient access to healthcare,” he emphasises.
Further to this, Kry digital consultation costs, on average, are one-sixth of a traditional in-person appointment.
By shifting appropriate cases to digital channels, Kry has been able to free up physical clinic capacity, enabling approximately 3,000 to 5,000 patients to be registered per GP – compared to the national average of just 1,000 – through a scalable, cross-market model.
In the UK, the company estimates that applying this approach – in line with the government’s 10-year plan and subsequent three strategic shifts – could reduce the cost of each GP appointment by 20 to 30 percent.
What’s more, Kry’s ability to offer care within a 30-to-60-minute window, 24/7, has helped to reduce unnecessary visits to A&E.
“In fact, 25 to 30 percent of patients across our markets have told us they would have sought an emergency or urgent care clinic if they hadn’t been able to access a GP through Kry within four hours,” Lundgren surmises.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
Working on plans to further integrate digital and physical care across all its markets, Kry is ‘rolling up its sleeves’ to open new greenfield and brownfield clinics where they’re needed most.
“We’re not just talking about the future – we’re building it,” Lundgren pronounces.
In Sweden, the company has already opened several new clinics this year, including in a fast-growing residential area.
“Even the local coffee shop wasn’t open yet – but we were,” he adds.
Kry has also expanded its footprint into sexual and female health in this area, recognising the growing demand for accessible, stigma-free services.
The company is also excited about its latest acquisition as it welcomes Hermelinen, in Northern Sweden, to the Kry family.
“As the largest private healthcare provider in Norrbotten County, this acquisition is a game-changer, adding serious capacity to our primary care, occupational health, physiotherapy, and even surgery output,” Lundgren shares.
The acquisition also brings three new locations into the network and opens a brand-new region for Kry in northern Sweden.
“It might be cold up north – but the healthcare system is really hotting up!”
The company also launched a business-to-business (B2B) division known as Kry Foretäg, which supports large to medium-sized companies with access to occupational health services.
In the UK, meanwhile, Kry’s collaboration with leading health insurer, Vitality, continues to go from strength to strength.
By expanding its service portfolio, the company seeks to deliver even more value for Vitality members and grow the business in true partnership with them.
“Alongside this, our B2B and pay-as-you-go services are taking off, having now signed more than 25 companies across several sectors,” Lundgren reflects.
From professional services and manufacturing to transport and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), the company’s UK operations provide GP appointments for 50-person teams to enterprises with 1,000+ employees.
Through indirect employee assistance programmes, Livi is covering over 80,000 staff – and counting. In just six months since launch, appointment volumes have tripled in the UK.
A BRIGHT FUTURE
As it works towards a future of digitally-enabled healthcare, Kry remains one of Europe’s fastest growing primary healthcare providers.
It is committed to shaping a business model that has a sustainable and significant positive impact on European healthcare systems.
“We’re not here to follow the old rules – we’re here to redefine what modern healthcare looks like. We already know that the era of one-off, transactional appointments is over,” Lundgren opines.
As patients begin to expect more connected, flexible, and personalised healthcare, Kry seeks to challenge and unlock a new care experience for patients and partners alike.
“We are now more than a primary care provider and want to make it even easier for patients to access a range of care services if they choose Kry,” he continues.
Since becoming CEO, Lundgren has been continuously inspired by the passion, pride, and dedication demonstrated by the company’s teams and healthcare professionals across all markets.
“Every day, they show up for patients, partners, and the long-term health of society,” Lundgren asserts.
Having said this, he also recognises that Kry’s work is far from over.
“We won’t stop until every patient in Europe feels confident that they can get the care they need, when and how they need it.”
This means challenging what works, improving what’s broken, and continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible in healthcare.
“The next decade is our opportunity to lead lasting change – and we’re ready,” Lundgren confidently concludes.
Q&A WITH KALLE CONNERYD LUNDGREN, CEO, KRY
Could you provide some insight into your career to date and explain how you became interested in health and medical care?
Kalle Conneryd Lundgren, CEO: “I chose to work in health and medical care because I genuinely believe it’s one of the most meaningful and exciting industries in the world.
“You have the chance to make a real difference – not just for individuals, but for entire populations when the right efforts are scaled up.
“When I joined Kry in 2021, it became clear to me that this wasn’t a traditional healthcare company.
Kry’s objective has always been to change and improve the way healthcare is delivered and to continue to redefine it.
“Our aim is to increase capacity, improve outcomes, and help create long-term resilience, all whilst lowering costs for taxpayers. But we must be honest – the current healthcare system is broken.
“As a trained surgeon I grew frustrated with the relentless administrative burden and bureaucratic decision-making that was slowly eroding both clinician morale and patient trust.
“The system is fragmented, inefficient, and incredibly difficult to navigate – for both patients and professionals.
“If we don’t change how we think about healthcare and look to new models of care delivery, then we risk spending and wasting a huge number of resources whilst failing to meet patient demand and satisfaction.”
How does Kry plan to weather the storm that faces the healthcare industry in Europe today?
Kalle Conneryd Lundgren, CEO: “We are already in the middle of a perfect storm, made up of growing costs, an ageing population, a surge in chronic disease, and a burnt-out workforce.
“At Kry, we’re uniquely positioned to face that storm – and to offer a way through it.
“For patients, they get improved access, reliability, increased flexibility, and personalisation.
“For healthcare professionals, it’s about spending less time on admin and more time with patients doing what they are trained to do.
“For partners, it means scalable, cost-effective solutions that increase capacity and improve population health.”
