Iceland has one of the best health care systems in the world, since a majority of the medical doctors have received their education abroad, usually providing great experience. When patients need very specialized service, operations can be performed in the best hospitals in USA or Europe, through international agreements between hospitals. The Northeast region has several local health care centres and a strong hospital in Akureyri, which performs all the most common operations. A very efficient emergency flight and helicopter service exists with the National Hospital in Reykjavík, and these emergency services even extend to Greenland. Hospital service and medication is heavily subsidised, and when patients exceed a rather low amount spent on their personal health care, the remaining expenses are 83% subsidised by the government.
Health clinics which provide common health services are operated in Akureyri, Húsavík, Dalvík, Siglufjörður, Kópasker, Raufarhöfn, Reykjahlíð and Þórshöfn and specialized private health services exist in Akureyri.