World Health Survey

One of the focal points of the survey was contact between individuals and the health care system. How are people met when they are in need of health services? The concept of responsiveness is used to describe the quality of contacts. Important characteristics are: respect for persons, which includes the respect for the dignity of the individual, confidentiality, communication and autonomy; and client orientation that consists of prompt attention, amenities of adequate quality, access to social support networks and the choice of institution and care provider.

In this context the term 'health services' and the term 'health care provider' cover health services given by general practioners, specialists, psychologists, nurses, midwives, dentists, physiotherapists, chiropractors and traditional healers (alternative medicine).

High satisfaction with the health services

Almost everybody (97 per cent) said that they themselves, or a child in the household 12 years or younger, were in need for contact with the health services during the past 2 years. In the evaluation of the service two thirds refer to their last visit at the doctors (GP or specialist) in answering the questions about the health service. Approximately 15 per cent had reference to their last visit to the dentist, and 7 per cent had their last visit to the physiotherapist or chiropractor in mind when evaluating the services they received. About half of those who had consulted out-patient health service used the public health service and about half had consulted a private practioner. Among children 12 years and under 3 out of 4 had consulted the public health service.

The results show high satisfaction on indicators that concern respect, privacy and clear communication in the relation between patient and health care provider. There was less satisfaction with indicators on personal autonomy in choice of health care provider, and involvement in decisions regarding care or treatment.

Travel time to hospital and number of patients per room

Approximately one third of the interview persons, or one of their children 12 years and younger, have been admitted to hospital one or more times during the past 5 years. These 330 persons answered questions about their last stay in hospital or a long time care facility. Estimations on travelling time to hospital give an average travel time of 44 minutes. Health region East has the shortest average travel time with 32 min., while region Mid-Norway and region North has the longest average travel time with 55 and 74 minutes, respectively (does not include ambulance transport).

In hospital the patients share room with on average 1.9 patients. Health region North have the most crowded rooms (2.5 patients per room), while patients living in health region South report the lowest density with 1.4 patients per room in the hospital facility they referred to in the ratings.

Hospitals - low on autonomy

Most people seem satisfied with the way they were received as patients in Norwegian hospitals. This concerns whether they were greeted and treated with dignity and respect, about how they experienced the communication with the health care providers, about the cleanliness in the facilities and the waiting time from arrival to attendance. There was less satisfaction related to factors as personal integrity and freedom of choice, ie. to what extent one was able to choose hospital oneself and to what extent one was involved in decisions about own health and treatment.

Somewhat more than 80 per cent of those who has had a hospital stay during the past 5 years meant that the time they waited from arrival to attendance was acceptable and that the facilities were sufficiently clean. Most people said that they were treated with respect by the health care providers and that they were able to understand the information they were given about diagnosis, medication and treatment etc. Almost 70 per cent meant that they to a very large or to a large extent could talk to the health care providers privately and in confidence. Concerning personal autonomy and influence on decision making lower percentages experienced that they were consulted and had influence on decisions and that they had freedom of choice. A little more than 50 per cent were satisfied with the level of involvement in decisions regarding own health and treatment, and that they were informed on alternative treatments. While 19 per cent experienced that they were able to choose hospital themselves.

On a question about how satisfied the interview persons were with the way health care runs in Norway, the interview persons were asked to rate the health care according to level of satisfaction. About 60 per cent expressed satisfaction, while 14 per cent expressed dissatisfaction with the way the health care is run on basis of this very general question.