The Ministry of Health prohibits its private contractors to disclose that patients may be examined more quickly - if they pay for this themselves.
- I want to emphasize that the first and foremost responsibility is to inform about the public offer. It's part of the package when you have a contract with the public that you inform of the public offer, said Health Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
Health policy and the congested waiting lines in the govenrment run hospitals is likely to be a hot issue in the upcoming election campaign. Patients in urgent need go first, but otherwise it often means waiting for weeks.
Many patients therefore have to enter private clinics from which the government purchase these services. However, these institutes are not allowed to give patients the opportunity to pay themselves, and in this way shorten the wait.
Støre believes the private institutes should rather tell patients about their right to free hospital choice.
- When patients call and essentially become desperate over the waiting lines, it is natural for us to inform you that it is possible to obtain MR-ho tomorow, one of the private contractors said.
Consequently, a new section in the contract has been added regarding "reputation and loyalty within the agreement." There the supplier must promise not to engage in active and direct marketing of its private offers in contact with patients who are referred to them.
NRK/The Norway Post
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