| 1. |
- Henriksson, Dorcus Kiwanuka, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Bottleneck analysis at district level to illustrate gaps within the district health system in Uganda
- 2017
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Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 10:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Poor quality of care and access to effective and affordable interventions have been attributed to constraints and bottlenecks within and outside the health system. However, there is limited understanding of health system barriers to utilization and delivery of appropriate, high-impact, and cost-effective interventions at the point of service delivery in districts and sub-districts in low-income countries. In this study we illustrate the use of the bottleneck analysis approach, which could be used to identify bottlenecks in service delivery within the district health system.METHODS: A modified Tanahashi model with six determinants for effective coverage was used to determine bottlenecks in service provision for maternal and newborn care. The following interventions provided during antenatal care were used as tracer interventions: use of iron and folic acid, intermittent presumptive treatment for malaria, HIV counseling and testing, and syphilis testing. Data from cross-sectional household and health facility surveys in Mayuge and Namayingo districts in Uganda were used in this study.RESULTS: Effective coverage and human resource gaps were identified as the biggest bottlenecks in both districts, with coverage ranging from 0% to 66% for effective coverage and from 46% to 58% for availability of health facility staff. Our findings revealed a similar pattern in bottlenecks in both districts for particular interventions although the districts are functionally independent.CONCLUSION: The modified Tanahashi model is an analysis tool that can be used to identify bottlenecks to effective coverage within the district health system, for instance, the effective coverage for maternal and newborn care interventions. However, the analysis is highly dependent on the availability of data to populate all six determinants and could benefit from further validation analysis for the causes of bottlenecks identified.
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| 2. |
- Henriksson, Dorcus Kiwanuka, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Decision making in district health planning in Uganda : Does use of local evidence matter?
- 2019
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Ingår i: Health Research Policy and Systems. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1478-4505. ; 17
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- IntroductionIn a decentralized health system, district health managers are tasked with planning for health service delivery which should be evidence-based. However, planning in low-income countries such as Uganda, has been described as ad hoc. A systematic approach to the planning process using district-specific evidence was introduced to district health managers in Uganda. However, little is known about how the use of district-specific evidence does inform the planning process. In this study we further investigate how the use of this evidence affects the annual planning process.MethodologyThe study was conducted in two districts that were introduced to the systematic approach of using district-specific evidence in the planning process. District annual health work plans for financial years 2012/13; 2013/14; 2014/15 and 2015/16 and bottleneck analysis reports for 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 were reviewed. Semi-structured interviews with key informants from the districts were also conducted.ResultsDistrict managers reported that they were able to produce more robust district annual work plans when they used district-specific evidence. About half of the priority activities that were identified using district-specific evidence were included in the annual work plans. Procurement and logistics, training and support supervision activities were the most prioritized. Use of local evidence was viewed positively by the health managers. However, there was a lack of clarity on what activities should be incorporated in the annual work plans and district managers considered the lack of autonomy or decision space as a constraint to the use of district-specific evidence.ConclusionDistrict-specific evidence and a structured process for its use to prioritize activities and make decisions in the planning process at the district level helped systematize the planning process. Health managers were able to articulate and advocate for priorities related to child survival. However, the reported limited decision and fiscal space, human resource gaps, inadequate funding and high dependency on donor funding did not always allow for use of district-specific evidence in the planning process.
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| 3. |
- Mattebo, Magdalena, Docent, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Guideline documents on caesarean section on maternal request in Sweden : varying usability with a restrictive approach
- 2023
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Ingår i: BMC Health Services Research. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1472-6963. ; 23:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundGlobally, studies illustrate different approaches among health care professionals to decision making about caesarean section (CS) and that attitudes regarding the extent to which a CS on maternal request (CSMR) can be granted vary significantly, both between professionals and countries. Absence of proper regulatory frameworks is one potential explanation for high CSMR rates in some countries, but overall, it is unclear how recommendations and guidelines on CSMR relate to CSMR rates. In Sweden, CSMR rates are low by international comparison, but statistics show that the extent to which maternity clinics perform CSMR vary among Sweden’s 21 self-governing regions. These regions are responsible for funding and delivery of healthcare, while national guidelines provide guidance for the professions throughout the country; however, they are not mandatory. To further understand considerations for CSMR requests and existing practice variations, the aim was to analyse guideline documents on CSMR at all local maternity clinics in Sweden.MethodsAll 43 maternity clinics in Sweden were contacted and asked for any guideline documents regarding CSMR. All clinics replied, enabling a total investigation. We used a combined deductive and inductive design, using the framework method for the analysis of qualitative data in multi-disciplinary health research.ResultsOverall, 32 maternity clinics reported guideline documents and 11 denied having any. Among those reporting no guideline documents, one referred to using national guideline document. Based on the Framework method, four theme categories were identified: CSMR is treated as a matter of fear of birth (FOB); How important factors are weighted in the decision-making is unclear; Birth contracts are offered in some regions; and The post-partum care is related to FOB rather than CSMR.ConclusionIn order to offer women who request CS equal and just care, there is a pressing need to either implement current national guideline document at all maternity clinics or rewrite the guideline documents to enable clinics to adopt a structured approach. The emphasis must be placed on exploring the reasons behind the request and providing unbiased information and support. Our results contribute to the ongoing discussion about CSMR and lay a foundation for further research in which professionals, as well as stakeholders and both women planning pregnancy and pregnant women, can give their views on this issue.
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| 4. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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A New Way of Thinking and Talking About Economy : Clinic Managers' Perspectives on the Sustainable Implementation of a Decommissioning Programme in Sweden
- 2023
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Ingår i: HEALTH SERVICES INSIGHTS. - : SAGE Publications. - 1178-6329. ; 16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Healthcare systems may run into economic problems that may require 'active' decommissioning by policy-makers and managers. The aim of this study was to investigate, from a sustainability perspective, the implementation of an extensive decommissioning programme in one of the Swedish regions. Interviews were performed with 26 clinic managers 3 years after initial implementation. Those were analysed inductively, and then discussed based on a model of potential influences on sustainability. Although the programme was only 'partly sustained', the result point to a sustained attention to the health system's poor economy, visible in a great effort by the clinics to maintain their budgets. The most important influences were intervention fit and modifications made at the clinic level (i. innovation characteristics), clinic and health system leadership (ii. context), champions (iii. capacity) and shared decision-making and relationship building (iv. processes and interactions). When implementing decommissioning, it is particularly important to engage managers responsible for the care of patients and clinic budgets from an early stage and to allow them to design approaches based on the staff's and managers' detailed knowledge of the situation at their clinics and of the disease area, that is, to achieve fit at the clinics. In this way, the decommissioning approaches can more likely get the character of quality improvement efforts, which increases sustainability and may lead to positive quality outcomes. Despite being unpopular, the study suggests that decommissioning can have positive effects as well, such as creating opportunities to make difficult but necessary changes and fostering increased collegial support during the centralisation of services.
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| 5. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Are data from national quality registries used in quality improvement at Swedish hospital clinics?
- 2017
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Ingår i: International Journal for Quality in Health Care. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1353-4505 .- 1464-3677. ; 29:7, s. 909-915
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To investigate the use of data from national quality registries (NQRs) in local quality improvement as well as purported key factors for effective clinical use in Sweden. Comparative descriptive: a web survey of all Swedish hospitals participating in three NQRs with different levels of development (certification level). Heads of the clinics and physician(s) at clinics participating in the Swedish Stroke Register (Riksstroke), the Swedish National Registry of Gallstone Surgery and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (GallRiks) and the Swedish Lung Cancer Registry (NLCR). Individual and unit level use of NQRs in local quality improvement, and perceptions on data quality, organizational conditions and user motivation. Riksstroke data were reported as most extensively used at individual and unit levels ((x) over bar 17.97 of 24 and (x) over bar 27.06 of 35). Data quality and usefulness was considered high for the two most developed NQRs ((x) over bar 19.86 for Riksstroke and (x) over bar 19.89 for GallRiks of 25). Organizational conditions were estimated at the same level for Riksstroke and GallRiks ((x) over bar 12.90 and (x) over bar 13.28 of 20) while the least developed registry, the NLCR, had lower estimates (x 10.32). In Riksstroke, the managers requested registry data more often ((x) over bar 15.17 of 20). While there were significant differences between registries in key factors such as management interest, use of NQR data in local quality improvement seems rather prevalent, at least for Riksstroke. The link between the registry's level of development and factors important for routinization of innovations such as NQRs needs investigation.
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| 6. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Awareness and opinions on healthcare decommissioning in a Swedish region
- 2020
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Ingår i: Health Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-8510 .- 1872-6054. ; 124:9, s. 991-997
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Decision-makers may have to decommission services as a response to budget deficits. The aim of this study was to investigate a case of decommissioning with regard to the public's awareness and opinions. The analysis of a survey in a Swedish region that begun the implementation of an extensive decommissioning programme in 2015 shows that the majority of respondents were well or very well informed about the programme (68 %). A large proportion of the respondents thought the decision-makers to a low or very low degree had adopted appropriate measures to solve the economic problems (43 %), but together more respondents were either indifferent (39.5 %) or positive (17.5 %). Regarding the level of satisfaction with the region's healthcare system, compared to prior to the decommissioning period, 30 % were less satisfied while together more were either indifferent (48 %) or had become more satisfied (22 %). The large share of indifferent responses opens up for various interpretations or framings of the programme outcomes. Trust in the regions' healthcare system nevertheless increased during the same period. Furthermore, self-assessed health as well as age and utilization seem to be associated with healthcare system satisfaction during decommissioning. This illustrates heterogeneity in the public's responses to decommissioning, which calls for further investigation.
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| 7. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-
(författare)
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Between Equity and Local Autonomy : A Governance Dilemma in Swedish Healthcare
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Both national equity in healthcare and the county councils’ local autonomy are important values supported by Swedish law. Politically it is a balancing act; how much freedom should the county councils have and to what extent should healthcare be equal throughout the country? The general aim of this dissertation, concerning political governance in Swedish healthcare, is to investigate the tensional values of national equity and local autonomy in the light of current trends in healthcare governance in Sweden. How is this tension manifested? Four studies are included in the dissertation. These studies show that the Swedish state is becoming more active in governing and regulating healthcare, for example by the use of informative governance and legislation, which increasingly rely on monitoring and evaluation of results that are made public. The findings show that the tension between national equity and local autonomy is manifested in increasing emphasis on national equity – or rather national equivalence – which is interpreted in terms of Swedish healthcare being recentralized. Delivery and financing of healthcare are still the responsibilities of the county councils. Planning and arranging – the setting of the regulatory framework – is increasingly taken over by the central state. Although power seems to be transferred from local level to central level, the county councils’ autonomy is only partially restricted, which means Swedish healthcare is still decentralized. However, if the recentralization process proceeds further, the county councils´ autonomy may be seriously challenged. Another challenge is to maintain or strengthen the procedures for democratic legitimacy through citizen participation at the local level. When local autonomy looses ground, it becomes more difficult to tailor healthcare according to local needs and conditions in the county councils, and decisions are taken at greater distance from the citizens.
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| 8. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, et al.
(författare)
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Caesarean section on maternal request : a qualitative study of conflicts related to shared decision-making and person-centred care in Sweden
- 2024
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Ingår i: Reproductive Health. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1742-4755. ; 21:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundToday, person-centred care is seen as a cornerstone of health policy and practice, but accommodating individual patient preferences can be challenging, for example involving caesarean section on maternal request (CSMR). The aim of this study was to explore Swedish health professionals' perspectives on CSMR and analyse them with regard to potential conflicts that may arise from person-centred care, specifically in relation to shared decision-making.MethodsA qualitative study using both inductive and deductive content analysis was conducted based on semi-structured interviews. It was based on a purposeful sampling of 12 health professionals: seven obstetricians, three midwives and two neonatologists working at different hospitals in southern and central Sweden. The interviews were recorded either in a telephone call or in a video conference call, and audio files were deleted after transcription.ResultsIn the interviews, twelve types of expressions (sub-categories) of five types of conflicts (categories) between shared decision-making and CSMR emerged. Most health professionals agreed in principle that women have the right to decide over their own body, but did not believe this included the right to choose surgery without medical indications (patient autonomy). The health professionals also expressed that they had to consider not only the woman's current preferences and health but also her future health, which could be negatively impacted by a CSMR (treatment quality and patient safety). Furthermore, the health professionals did not consider costs in the individual decision, but thought CSMR might lead to crowding-out effects (avoiding treatments that harm others). Although the health professionals emphasised that every CSMR request was addressed individually, they referred to different strategies for avoiding arbitrariness (equality and non-discrimination). Lastly, they described that CSMR entailed a multifaceted decision being individual yet collective, and the use of birth contracts in order to increase a woman's sense of security (an uncomplicated decision-making process).ConclusionsThe complex landscape for handling CSMR in Sweden, arising from a restrictive approach centred on collective and standardised solutions alongside a simultaneous shift towards person-centred care and individual decision-making, was evident in the health professionals' reasoning. Although most health professionals emphasised that the mode of delivery is ultimately a professional decision, they still strived towards shared decision-making through information and support. Given the different views on CSMR, it is of utmost importance for healthcare professionals and women to reach a consensus on how to address this issue and to discuss what patient autonomy and shared decision-making mean in this specific context. Person-centered care is today a widespread approach, but accommodating individual patient preferences can be challenging, for example involving caesarean section on maternal request (CSMR). This study examines Swedish health professionals' views on CSMR. Interviews with 12 health professionals reveal conflicts between CSMR and key aspects of person-centered care, in particular shared decision-making. While professionals acknowledge women's autonomy, they question CSMR without medical need. Concerns include for example treatment quality and patient safety, and avoiding treatments that harm others. The Swedish context, balancing collective solutions with individualized care, complicates decision-making. Unlike countries with more private healthcare, where CSMR support might be higher, Swedish health professionals emphasize shared decision-making despite viewing the mode of delivery as primarily a professional decision. This study sheds light on the challenges in integrating CSMR into person-centered care frameworks.
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| 9. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Costs will rather increase Actions and arguments against decommissioning in local health services in Sweden
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Health Organization & Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 1477-7266 .- 1758-7247. ; 32:8, s. 943-961
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to study the unfolding of an urgent and extensive decommissioning program in Sweden, focusing on the public's reactions and their arguments when opposing the decommissioning activities.Design/methodology/approachThe public's responses were studied through local media. Its content was surveyed and divided into actions and arguments. The arguments were further analyzed and categorized into inductively developed themes.FindingsProtest activities, such as demonstrations, meetings and petitions, were not coordinated, but mostly carried out for withdrawals of unique services and services in remote areas. The public questioned the decision makers' information, calculations and competence, the adequacy of the consequence analyses and whether the decommissioning activities would lead to any real savings. Patient and public safety, the vulnerable in society, and effects on the local areas were important topics. Thus, it seems the decision makers did not fully succeed in communicating the demonstrable benefits or create clarity of the rationales for decommissioning the particular services. Furthermore, it seems the public has a more inclusive approach to health services and their value compared to decision makers that need to keep the budget.Originality/value Decommissioning is an emerging field of research, and this study of the unfolding of an urgent and extensive decommissioning program contributes with evidence that may improve decommissioning policy and practice. The study illustrates that it may be possible to implement a decommissioning program despite public protest, but that the longer-term effects on the health system's legitimacy need to be studied.
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| 10. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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COVID-19 Testing in Sweden During 2020 – Split Responsibilities and Multi-Level Challenges
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers In Public Health. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2296-2565. ; 9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sweden's use of soft response measures early in the COVID-19 pandemic received a good deal of international attention. Within Sweden, one of the most debated aspects of the pandemic response has been COVID-19 testing and the time it took to increase testing capacity. In this article, the development of and the debate surrounding COVID-19 testing in Sweden during 2020 is described in detail, with a particular focus on the coordination between national and regional actors in the decentralised healthcare system. A qualitative case study was carried out based on qualitative document analysis with a chronological presentation. To understand COVID-19 testing in Sweden, two aspects of its public administration model emerged as particularly important: (i) the large and independent government agencies and (ii) self-governing regions and municipalities. In addition, the responsibility principle in Swedish crisis management was crucial. Overall, the results show that mass testing was a new area for coordination and involved a number of national and regional actors with partly different views on their respective roles, responsibilities and interpretations of the laws and regulations. The description shows the ambiguities in the purpose of testing and the shortcomings in communication and cooperation during the first half of 2020, but after that an increasing consistency among the crucial actors. During the first half of 2020, testing capacity in Sweden was limited and reserved to protect the most vulnerable in society. Because mass testing for viruses is not normally carried out by the 21 self-governing regions responsible for healthcare and communicable disease prevention, and the Public Health Agency of Sweden stated that there was no medical reason to test members of the public falling ill with COVID-like symptoms, the responsibility for mass testing fell through the cracks during the first few months of the pandemic. This article thus illustrates problems associated with multi-level governance in healthcare during a crisis and illustrates the discrepancy between the health service's focus on the individual and the public health-oriented work carried out within communicable disease control.
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| 11. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Cuts without conflict : The use of political strategy in local health system retrenchment in Sweden
- 2019
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Ingår i: Social Science and Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 0277-9536 .- 1873-5347. ; 237
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Disinvestment in health services is seen as challenging by decision-makers as the public usually reacts strongly to rationing and retrenchments. Drawing on the literature on welfare state retrenchment - the reduction of public expenditure by cutting costs or spending - this article explores the development and implementation of a comprehensive retrenchment programme in one local health system in Sweden (a so-called region). According to theory, retrenchments are both electorally risky and institutionally difficult. Nonetheless, they take place and in the local health system we investigate, without too extensive public protest and without decision-makers having to resign. The main question in this qualitative study is: why and how was it possible to make such comprehensive retrenchments despite being unpopular and facing many political and institutional barriers? Interviews with 18 local politicians and public servants were carried out between January 18 and April 3, 2017, and analysed from the perspective of political strategy. They showed that the serious budget deficit, and a shared understanding of what the region's problems were, are important explanations for why the retrenchment programme was possible to develop and implement. Based on a thorough internal review of the health system, a crisis discourse developed which partly depoliticized the retrenchment programme. Justification and framing are keys to how it was possible. The retrenchment programme was justified by arguing that current service provision exceeded that in comparable regions, and framed as necessary saving the local health system and enhancing quality. Important strategies were thus to redefine the retrenchments and to blame-share, the latter through politicians and public servants claiming responsibility together after involving the clinic managers. In sum, our study shows that the retrenchment literature and theories on political strategy may be fruitfully applied to the health-care sector as well. By studying the local level, our findings contribute to the retrenchment literature, indicating that political strategy at the local level is more about justification and blame sharing, than blame avoidance.
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| 12. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Disentangling patient and public involvement inhealthcare decisions : Why the difference matters
- 2017
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Ingår i: Sociology of Health and Illness. - : Wiley. - 0141-9889 .- 1467-9566. ; 39:1, s. 95-111
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Patient and public involvement has become an integral aspect of many developedhealth systems and is judged to be an essential driver for reform. However, littleattention has been paid to the distinctions between patients and the public, and theviews of patients are often seen to encompass those of the general public. Usingan ideal-type approach, we analyse crucial distinctions between patientinvolvement and public involvement using examples from Sweden and England.We highlight that patients have sectional interests as health services users incontrast to the citizen who engage as public policy agent reecting societalinterests. Patients draw on experiential knowledge and focus on output legitimacyand performance accountability, aim at typical representativeness, and a directresponsiveness to individual needs and preferences. In contrast, the publiccontributes with collective perspectives generated from diversity, centres on inputlegitimacy achieved through statistical representativeness, democraticaccountability and indirect responsiveness to general citizen preferences. Thus,using patients as proxies for the public fails to achieve intended goals and benetsof involvement. We conclude that understanding and measuring the impact ofpatient and public involvement can only develop with the application of a clearercomprehension of the differences.
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| 13. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Fifteen years with patient choice and free establishment in Swedish primary healthcare : what do we know?
- 2022
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : Sage Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 50:7, s. 852-863
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: In 2007, a reform of Swedish primary healthcare began when some regions implemented enhanced patient choice in combination with free establishment for private providers. Although heavily debated, in 2010 it became mandatory for all regions to implement this choice system.Aim: The aim of this article was to review all published research articles related to the primary healthcare choice reform in Sweden, to investigate what has been published about the reform and summarise its first 15 years.Methods: A scoping review was performed to cover the breadth of research on the reform. Searches were made in Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed for articles published between 2007 and 2021, resulting in 217 unique articles. In total, 52 articles were included. Results: The articles were summarised and presented in relation to six overarching themes: arguments about the primary healthcare choice reform; governance and financial reimbursements; choice of provider and use of information; effects on equity and access; effects on quality; and differences between private and public primary healthcare centres.Conclusions: The articles show that the reform has led to an increase in access to primary healthcare, but most studies indicate that the increase is inequitably distributed in terms of socioeconomy and geographical location. The effects on quality are unclear but several studies show that the mechanisms supposed to lead to quality improvements do not work as intended. Furthermore, from a population health perspective, it is time to discuss how such a responsibility can be reintegrated into primary healthcare and function with the choice system.
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| 14. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Getting involved : the extent and impact of patient and public involvement in the Swedish health system
- 2020
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Ingår i: Health Economics, Policy and Law. - 1744-1331 .- 1744-134X. ; 15:3, s. 325-340
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Patient and public involvement (PPI) is framed as beneficial for individuals and for the health system. However, little is known about the extent of involvement, or of its impact. Based on data from Sweden, we show that apart from voting in regional elections (76%), more people reported involvement as individual patients (23%) than part of collective activities (5%) or activities relating to a citizen perspective (4%). There was no correlation between how many people participated and the estimated impact - which was generally low. More extensive involvement is thus not linked to the potential to influence decisions. We argue that to achieve the benefits associated with PPI it is crucial to understand more about people's motivation for being involved and what underlies low estimates of impact. This requires a more systematic approach to involvement, how it is evaluated and its results communicated to participants and the society. We also argue that a future challenge for the Swedish health system, and for other similar health systems, is to support long-term collective involvement in the midst of growing individualization of health services and involvement opportunities primarily intended for patients.
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| 15. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Involvement that makes an impact on healthcare : Perceptions of the Swedish public
- 2018
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 46:4, s. 471-477
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: Participation and influence in society' is the first of 11 objective domains in Swedish public health policy. The aim of this article is to investigate the views of the Swedish general population on the impact of a range of health participation activities, and whether these views were associated with sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: The study utilizes a national representative survey of the Swedish population, aged 15 years and over (n = 1500). Results: Apart from voting in regional elections - which most of the respondents believed to be an influential way to make improvements in healthcare (74%) - respondents believed more in individual patient activities than activities associated with adopting a citizen role and acting collectively. A majority of respondents believed in the impact of replying to patient surveys (67%), making a complaint (61%), talking directly to staff (58%) or changing their healthcare provider (54%). Fewer believed in the impact of joining a patient organization (46%), taking part in a citizen council (35%) or joining a political party (34%). Beliefs in impact increased with educational attainment and decreased with age. Conclusions: The results suggest people have more confidence in the impact of participating as individual patients rather than collectively and as citizens. To ensure that activities enable participation and influence in society', complementary opportunities for collective involvement that also take into account under-represented voices such as those with a low level of education need to be developed.
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| 16. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-
(författare)
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Is patient choice democratizing Swedish primary care?
- 2013
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Ingår i: Health Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-8510 .- 1872-6054. ; 111:1, s. 95-98
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Choice and competition reforms in healthcare often involve the idea of empowering patients through the mechanism of ‘exit’. Using Swedish healthcare as an example, this article illustrates that this kind of efforts to empower patients may not only affect patients’ chances of influencing healthcare but also those of citizens, who may lose ‘voice’ as a result. Thus, it is an example of the conflict between representative democracy and the customers’ control over welfare services; a conflict that may be overcome by providing new forms of collective decision-making. This was not the case when introducing a patient choice reform in Swedish primary care in 2010.
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| 17. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-
(författare)
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Patient and public involvement in the build-up of COVID-19 testing in Sweden
- 2022
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Ingår i: Health Expectations. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1369-6513 .- 1369-7625. ; 25:2, s. 541-548
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Patient and public involvement in healthcare can be particularly challenging during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective The aims of the study, which focuses on COVID-19 testing in Sweden, were to explore (1) how, or to what extent, patients and members of the public were involved in decisions about the organization of COVID-19 testing during the first year of pandemic and (2) whether this was seen as feasible or desirable by regional and national stakeholders. Methods A qualitative interview study was conducted with key organizational stakeholders at three national agencies and within three Swedish regions (n = 16). Results There had been no patient and public involvement activities in the area of COVID-19 testing. The regions had, however, tried to respond to demands or critiques from patients and the public along the way and to adapt the services to respond to their preferences. The need for rapid decision-making, the uncertainty about whom to involve, as well as a hesitation about the appropriateness of involving patients and the public contributed to the lack of involvement. Conclusion Future studies on patient and public involvement during crises should address what structures need to be in place to carry out involvement successfully during crises and when to use activities with varying degrees of power or decision-making authority for patients and members of the public. Patient or Public Contribution Fifteen members of the public contributed with short reflections on the study findings.
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| 18. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Patient involvement at the managerial level : the effectiveness of a patient and family advisory council at a regional cancer centre in Sweden
- 2021
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Ingår i: BMC Health Services Research. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1472-6963. ; 21
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: In cancer care as well as other types of treatment and care, little is known about the contribution of Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs) operating at the managerial level in healthcare organizations. The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of a Swedish PFAC operating at the managerial level at one of Sweden's six regional cancer centres.Methods: This was a qualitative, single-case study based on interviews with PFAC participants and meeting minutes from PFAC meetings. These were analysed using a modified version of a framework developed by Abelson et al. to design and evaluate collective involvement processes in the healthcare sector: (i) representation; (ii) information; (iii) process or procedures and (iv) outcomes and decisions.Results: The descriptive representation was good regarding geographical location and cancer diagnosis. Information from the regional cancer centre was an important part of the meeting agenda. The procedures encouraged everyone to speak up, and the participants saw the representatives from the regional cancer centre as allies against the hospitals and regions, raising some questions about the PFAC's independence. Regarding outcomes, most participants did not know to what extent their work had led to any improvements in cancer care. However, they still regarded the council as effective, as issues the participants raised were listened to by the representatives from the regional cancer centre and 'taken further' in the healthcare organization.Conclusions: The participants were satisfied with being listened to, but they found it difficult to know whether their work had led to improvements, in part because they did not know enough about how the healthcare organization worked above the care-provision level. This was a hurdle to achieving change. The study suggests it is more difficult for patients and next of kin to participate at the managerial level, compared to the care-provision level in healthcare systems, where they could potentially influence important aspects of cancer care and policy, since it is at these levels strategic decisions about priorities in cancer care and service configurations are made. This indicates that there is a particular need for guidance and support for patient and public involvement to work successfully at this level, which may include relevant education and training in system knowledge.
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| 19. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Public involvement in the Swedish health system : citizen dialogues with unclear outcomes
- 2023
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Ingår i: BMC Health Services Research. - : BMC. - 1472-6963. ; 23:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: In systems with representative democracy, there is a growing consensus that citizens should have the possibility to participate in decisions that affect them, extending beyond just voting in national or local/regional elections. However, significant uncertainty remains regarding the role of public involvement in decision-making, not least in healthcare. In this article, we focus on citizen dialogues (CDs) in a health system that is politically governed and decentralised. The aim of the study was to evaluate the functioning of citizen dialogues in the Swedish health system in terms of representation, process, content, and outcomes.Methods: This study was conducted using a qualitative case design focusing on CDs at the regional level in Sweden. The regional level is politically elected and responsible for funding and provision of healthcare. The data consist of public documents describing and evaluating the CDs and interviews, which were analysed drawing on a modified version of the Abelson et al. analytical framework for evaluating public involvement in healthcare.Results: Some CDs were an attempt to counteract political inequality by inviting groups that are less represented, while others aimed to increase legitimacy by reducing the distance between policymakers and citizens. The results from the CDs-which were often held in the beginning of a potential policy process-were often stated to be used as input in decision-making, but how was not made clear. Generally, the CDs formed an opportunity for members of the public to express preferences (on a broad topic) rather than developing preferences, with a risk of suggestions being too unspecific to be useful in decision-making. The more disinterested public perspective, in comparison with patients, reinforced the risk of triviality. A need for better follow-up on the impact of the CDs on actual decision-making was mentioned as a necessary step for progress.Conclusions: It is unclear how input from CDs is used in policymaking in the politically governed regions responsible for healthcare in Sweden. The analysis points to policy input from CDs being too general and a lack of documentation of how it is used. We need to know more about how much weight input from CDs carry in relation to other types of information that politicians use, and in relation to other types of patient and public involvement.
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| 20. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Recentralizing healthcare through evidence-based guidelines – striving for national equity in Sweden
- 2014
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Ingår i: BMC Health Services Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1472-6963. ; 14, s. 509-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The Swedish government has increasingly begun to rely on so called informative governance when regulating healthcare. The question this article sets out to answer is: considered to be “the backbone” of the Swedish state’s strategy for informative governance in healthcare, what kind of regulatory arrangement is the evidence-based National Guidelines? Together with national medical registries and an extensive system of quality and efficiency indicators, the National Guidelines constitutes Sweden’s quality management system. Methods: A framework for evaluating and comparing regulatory arrangements was used. It asks for instance: what is the purpose of the regulation and are regulation methods oriented towards deterrence or compliance? Results: The Swedish National Guidelines is a regulatory arrangement intended to govern the prioritizations of alldecision makers – politicians and administrators in the self-governing county councils as well as healthcare professionals – through a compliance model backed up by top-down benchmarking and built-in mechanisms for monitoring. It is thus an instrument for the central state to steer local political authorities. The purpose is to achieve equitable and cost-effective healthcare. Conclusions: This article suggests that the use of evidence-based guidelines in Swedish healthcare should be seen in the light of Sweden’s constitutional setting, with several autonomous levels of political authority negotiating the scope for their decision-making power. As decision-making capacity is relocated to the central government – from the democratically elected county councils responsible for financing and provision of healthcare – the Swedish National Guidelines is part of an ongoing process of healthcare recentralization in Sweden, reducing the scope for local decision-making. This represents a new aspect of evidence-based medicine (EBM) and clinical practice guidelines (CPGs).
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| 21. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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The trade-off between choice and equity : Swedish policymakers’ arguments when introducing patient choice
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of European Social Policy. - : SAGE Publications. - 0958-9287 .- 1461-7269. ; 23:2, s. 192-209
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- How do policymakers deal with the tension between choice and equity in healthcare? An analysis and critical examination of Swedish policymakers' arguments when introducing legislated choice of primary care provider in 2010 shows that even when deciding on a reform with a potentially great impact on distribution of health resources, implications for equity were not systematically addressed. Effects with regards to current patterns of healthcare consumption in the population as well as existing inequalities in health outcomes were not adequately addressed. Neither was the primary are choice reform, which is based on the values of consumerism and individual choice, problematized in relation to current healthcare legislation such as the Health and Medical Services Act. Given that the values of equity and social solidarity have had such a prominent place in Swedish health policy and discourse in past decades, this is a surprising finding. In conclusion, we argue that because inequalities in health constitute one of the main challenges for public health today, the impact of healthcare reforms on equity should receive more attention in policymaking.
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| 22. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-
(författare)
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Universal health coverage and equal access in Sweden : a century-long perspective on macro-level policy
- 2024
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Ingår i: International Journal for Equity in Health. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1475-9276. ; 23:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: When today's efforts to achieve universal health coverage are mainly directed towards low-income settings, it is perhaps easy to forget that countries considered to have universal, comprehensive and high-performing health systems have also undergone this journey. In this article, the aim is to provide a century-long perspective to illustrate Sweden's long and ongoing journey towards universal health coverage and equal access to healthcare.Methods: The focus is on macro-level policy. A document analysis is divided into three broad eras (1919-1955; 1955-1989; 1989-) and synthesises seven points in time when policies relevant to overarching goals and regulation of universal health coverage and equal access were proposed and/or implemented. The development is analysed and concluded in relation to two egalitarian goals in the context of health: equality of access and equal treatment for equal need.Results: Over the past century, macro-level policy evolved from the concept of creating access for the neediest and those reliant on wages for their survival to a mandatory insurance with equal right to healthcare for all. However, universal health coverage was not achieved until 1955, and individuals had to rely on their personal financial resources to cover the cost at the time of care utilization until the 1970s. It was not until 1983 that legislation explicitly stated that access to healthcare should be equal for the entire population (horizontal equity), while a vertical equity-principle was not added until 1997. Subsequently, ideas of free choice and privatization have gained significance. For instance, they aim to increase service access, addressing the Swedish health system's Achilles' heel in this regard. However, the principle of equal access for all is now being challenged by the emergence of private health insurance, which offers quicker access to services.Conclusions: brief summary and potential implications It can be concluded that there is no perpetual Swedish healthcare model and various dimensions of access have been the focus of policy discussion. The discussion on access barriers has shifted from financial to personal and organizational ones. Today, Sweden still ranks high in terms of affordability and equity in international comparisons: although not as well as a decade ago. Whether this marks the beginning of a new trend intertwined with a decline in Sweden's welfare 'exceptionalism', or is a temporary decline remains to be assessed in the future.
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| 23. |
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| 24. |
- Fredriksson, Mio, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Who wants to be involved in health care decisions? : Comparing preferences for individual and collective involvement in England and Sweden
- 2017
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Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : BIOMED CENTRAL LTD. - 1471-2458. ; 18
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Patient and public involvement (PPI) is framed as positive for individuals, the health system, public health, as well as for communities and society as a whole. We investigated whether preferences for PPI differed between two countries with Beveridge type health systems-Sweden and England. We measured willingness to be involved in individual treatment decisions and in decisions about the organization and provision of local health and social care services. Methods: This was a comparative cross-sectional study of the general population's preferences. Together, the two samples included 3125 respondents; 1625 in England and 1500 in Sweden. Country differences were analysed in a multinomial regression model controlling for gender, age and educational attainment. Results: Overall, 68% of respondents wanted a passive patient role and 44% wanted to be involved in local decisions about organization and provision of services. In comparison with in Sweden, they were in England less likely to want a health professional such as a GP or consultant to make decisions about their treatment and also more likely to want to make their own decisions. They were also less likely to want to be involved in local service development decisions. An increased likelihood of wanting to be involved in organizational decision-making was associated with individuals wanting to make their own treatment decisions. Women were less likely to want health professionals to make decisions and more likely to want to be involved in organizational decisions. Conclusions: An effective health system that ensures public health must integrate an effective approach to PPI both in individual treatment decisions and shaping local health and social care priorities. To be effective, involvement activities must take in to account the variation in the desire for involvement and the implications that this has for equity. More work is needed to understand the relationship between the desire to be involved and actually being involved, but both appear related to judgements of the impact of involvement on health care decisions.
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| 25. |
- Gustafsson, Inga-Britt, et al.
(författare)
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Factors that shape the successful implementation of decommissioning programmes : an interview study with clinic managers
- 2021
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Ingår i: BMC Health Services Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1472-6963. ; 21:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: As a response to many years of repetitive budget deficits, Region Dalarna in Sweden started a restructuring process in 2015, and implemented a decommissioning programme to achieve a balanced budget until 2019. Leading politicians and public servants took the overall decisions about the decommissioning programme, but the clinical decision-making and implementation was largely run by the clinic managers and their staff. As the decommissioning programme improved the finances, met relatively little resistance from the clinical departments, and neither patient safety nor quality of care were perceived to be negatively affected, the initial implementation could be considered successful. The aim of this study was to investigate clinic managers' experience of important factors enabling the successful implementation of a decommissioning programme in a local healthcare organization.METHODS: Drawing on a framework of factors and processes that shape successful implementation of decommissioning decisions, this study highlights the most important factors that enabled the clinic managers to successfully implement the decommissioning programme. During 2018, an interview study was conducted with 26 clinic managers, strategically selected to represent psychiatry, primary care, surgery and medicine. A deductive content analysis was used to analyze the interviews. By applying a framework to the data, the most important factors were illuminated.RESULTS: The findings highlighted factors and processes crucial to implementing the decommissioning programme: 1) create a story to get a shared image of the rationale for change, 2) secure an executive leadership team represented by clinical champions, 3) involve clinic managers at an early stage to ensure a fair decision-making process, 4) base the decommissioning decisions on evidence, without compromising quality and patient safety, 5) prepare the organisation to handle a process characterised by tensions and strong emotions, 6) communicate demonstrable benefits, 7) pay attention to the need of cultural and behavioral change and 8) transparently evaluate the outcome of the process.CONCLUSIONS: From these findings, we conclude that in order to successfully implement a decommissioning programme, clinic managers and healthcare professions must be given and take responsibility, for both the process and outcome.
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