Norway has a great welfare system. I never paid for all the schools I’ve studied at, my dental care was covered by the government until I was 18 years old, and the four bones I’ve broken during skiing I only paid a minimal amount for. The treatments and the rehabilitation for my injuries were all great, and I have no permanent loss of function what so ever today. So, I guess the doctors and physiotherapists did a good job.
After now two years of studying physiotherapy, I’ve gained greater insight I how the health care here in Norway actually is. I think it’s important to pinpoint that health care can be seen from different perspectives. From where you’re standing, ether as a politician or a patient, you most likely won’t have the same understanding of how the health care actually works in practice. With this photo my goal is to emphasize a patient’s point of view in the health care. But first I would like to tell you in a few sentences how the Norwegian health care is built up.
In Norway the government is responsible for providing health care to the population, in accordance with the state goal of equal access to health care regardless of age, race, gender, income, or area of residence. We have a publicly financed health care which is financed through national and municipal taxes. In practice national health care here in Norway covers planned and acute primary, hospital, and ambulatory care, rehabilitation, and outpatient prescription drugs on the formulary. General practitioners and specialist visits require copayments, but these public health providers cannot charge patients more than a certain amount set by the government. In 2019 Norway ranked as third in the World Happiness Index, we also ranked as number 16 in the Global Peace Ranking. One might say that Norway has great requisites for good health care system, given that we also are a welfare state. Nevertheless, every system has its weaknesses.
With this photo I am trying to illustrate the Norwegian health care system from a patient’s point of view. The patient is being offered many different treatments, which at first would seem as good thing right? A health care system with many different professions would suit well for treating patients with a wide span of diagnoses. But what happens if this patient doesn’t fit into our “diagnostic system”? Charlotte Haug (Tidskriftet, 2018) from the journal of the Norwegian Doctor Association is talking about how some patients feel like they are being thrown around from one health care profession to another. She says that everybody sees that the patient is sick, and many have recommendation for treatment interventions, but no one wants to take the responsibility to get the patient healthy. Imagine being a patient were no one wants to treat you, they only send you off to another health profession. Would you agree, as mentioned above, that the health care provided to the population is in accordance with the state goal of equal access to health care for everyone? As physiotherapists we have responsibility to act and help. With modern physiotherapy that has a holistic approach, I think we have a unique opportunity to help these patients.
References
The Commonwealth Fund. The Norwegian Health Care System
https://international.commonwealthfund.org/countries/norway
Country economy (2019). World Happiness Index
https://countryeconomy.com/demography/world-happiness-index
Country economy (2018). Global Peace Index
https://countryeconomy.com/demography/global-peace-index
Tidskriftet (2008, 3. Januar). Pasient Helse-Norge
https://tidsskriftet.no/2008/01/fra-redaktoren/pasienten-helse-norge
One thought on “Einar Halsnes, Patiens POV”
Hi Einar! i found your assignment very insightful and it was quite interesting to learn the differences between our health services. I really liked how your picture corresponds perfectly to your point. I also enjoyed reading your experiences with the health care in Norway.
The text regarding the actual patients point of view is a bit short but the writing is good and easy to understand.
Good work so far!