24 May 2018
Finnish healthcare provider Pihlajalinna expands into wellness with fitness chain deal
BY Tom Walker
Finnish private healthcare provider Pihlajalinna has announced plans to expand operations into the wellness sector, following the acquisition of health club chain Forever.
The company will become the majority owner in Forever, with 10 of the 12 Forever locations transferring under the ownership of Pihlajalinna.
Mikko Mustala, founder of Forever, will remain as managing director of the business following the deal.
In recent years, Forever has specialised in offering diverse wellbeing services for adults looking to get fit and more active.
In addition to traditional gym spaces and group exercise options, Forever offers personal trainer services and Fustra instruction, which aims to strengthen body weaknesses with correct postures and movements, physiotherapy and nutrition coaching.
According to Joni Aaltonen, managing director of Pihlajalinna, the move is a "logical step" in order to provide a holistic approach to wellness and keeping people healthy before they get sick.
“Promoting wellbeing is the future of healthcare," Aaltonen said.
"In the private health sector, an increasing proportion of the companies are moving from service-specific pricing towards a fixed-price business model.
"It means that we are not paid, for instance, for each visit to a doctor, but rather for taking care of people’s health.
“In this trend, Pihlajalinna is a forerunner since more than 60 per cent of our revenue comes from fixed-price business.
"Even now, our business operations are substantially based on keeping people as healthy as possible.”
Pihlajalinna is one of Finland's largest private healthcare companies and operates a network of clinics and hospitals throughout Finland. It offers everything from doctors' services to physiotherapy and specialised living accommodations for the elderly.
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