Mehiläinen: A Nordic healthcare success story powered by innovation and partnership

In the landscape of European healthcare, Mehiläinen stands out for its rapid growth, digital innovation and commitment to improving health and wellbeing. What began in 1909 as a small hospital in Helsinki has evolved into Finland’s largest private healthcare and social care provider, with a growing international presence. Along the way, Mehiläinen has benefited from a long-term partnership with Nordea.

Over the past decade, the company’s revenue has increased more than fivefold, surpassing EUR 2 billion in 2024. Today, Mehiläinen plays a vital role in Finland’s healthcare system, serving 2.2 million customers annually across 890 locations with over 37,000 employees and private practitioners.

Digital innovation and strategic growth

Digital innovation has been a key driver of Mehiläinen’s growth and efficiency.

“We are the one of the most advanced healthcare providers in terms of digital processes,” says Mehiläinen CEO Janne-Olli Järvenpää. The company’s patient app, used by 2 million registered patients in Finland alone, offers features such as 24/7 doctor consultations, online booking and access to personal health records. Through its subsidiary BeeHealthy, Mehiläinen has also become a technology provider, selling its digital health platform to 10 countries and the majority of the public regions in Finland.

Strategic acquisitions have also fuelled Mehiläinen’s expansion.

“We’ve done around 200 acquisitions over the past 10 years,” Järvenpää reveals. These acquisitions have transformed Mehiläinen into a European healthcare player with operations in seven countries.

A strong financial partnership for the future

Throughout this journey, Nordea has been a steadfast financial partner, providing a range of financial services, including debt funding, RCF lending, factor financing solutions and payment services. In 2025, Nordea supported Mehiläinen in its EUR 1.09 billion bond issuance and the repricing of its EUR 1.86 billion term loan, enabling strategic acquisitions in Romania and Serbia.

“It’s not possible to grow at this pace, with a track record of double-digit growth continuously for over 20 years, without having good financing backing up the management team, both equity as well as debt-wise,” says Järvenpää. This support has also been vital during challenging times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and other periods of economic uncertainty.

“The availability and cost of financing has fluctuated quite a lot during the last 10 years, and it’s been crucial to have Nordea as a stable and trustworthy financial partner throughout the journey,” he says.

Looking ahead, Mehiläinen aims to become a leading European outpatient-focused healthcare provider.

“More than half of our patients, physician visits, diagnostic tests and surgical procedures are already outside Finland,” Järvenpää notes.

As the company continues to expand across Europe, Nordea continues to support its mission: “to improve health and wellbeing together.”