this is supplemented by a longstanding tradition of gps who act as gatekeepers to secondary care and play a strong role in maintaining population health in major administrative reforms merged counties and three municipalities with country functions into five regions whose main responsibility was to deliver hospital care and contract with physicians these reforms also rationalised the number of municipalities from to following these reforms municipalities have a financial stake in the funding of hospital services and are directly responsible for providing longterm elderly care rehabilitation supported or institutional housing for older people public health school health services child dental treatment and some aspects of prevention central government authorities provided guidance on the planning and location of certain hospital medical specialties and there have been efforts at both levels of government to rationalise the number of small hospitals