CONFIDENCE AND PATIENT EXPERIENCE Data on perceptions by the general population concerning availability and reliability are taken from the annual Healthcare Survey. The National Patient Survey provides data regarding patient experience of primary care visits and specialised medical care. Healthcare Survey The purpose of the Healthcare Survey is to measure the attitudes, experience, knowledge and expectations of the adult population when it comes to the healthcare system. The rolling survey has been conducted once a year in every county and region since 2001. The content of the survey changed in autumn 2010 and has become more oriented towards the general population. One of the main reasons for the change is that the National Patient Survey now captures data on patient experience. Perceptions and level of confidence among the general population are a key gauge of healthcare performance. The data presented in this report concern 2011 and are based on telephone interviews with approximately 40 000 randomly selected people. Comparisons with the results of the Healthcare Survey before 2010 are possible on a limited basis only. Not only have the questions and method changed, but the results are presented in a somewhat different manner now. For example, those who respond “I don’t know” or “No answer” are not included in the current presentation, while certain questions concern the past six months instead of the past 12 months. The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions presents a more comprehensive yearly review of the results. The three selected indicators below are based on questions that respondents were asked whether or not they had been to an appointment within the past six months.
19 Access to Health Care Figure 19 shows perceptions among members of the general population about their access to health care, regardless of whether or not they have had contact with the system over the past six months. A total of 80 per cent of people nationwide agreed wholly or in part with the statement, “I have access to the health care I need.” The corresponding figure in 2010 was 82 per cent (excluding “I don’t know” and “No Answer”). County results varied from 73 to 88 per cent. Eight per cent of the respondents nationwide reported that they did not have access to the health care they needed. The counties varied between 3 and 11 per cent. Women and men showed marginal differences in their perceived access to health care. The gaps between age groups, however, were considerably wider. People of working age were least likely to state that they had access to the health care they needed, whereas people age 70 and older were most likely. 62
QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY IN SWEDISH HEALTH CARE 2012