The prelude to that miserable morning was a message from Region North Jutland that had arrived a few days before.
– Your medical center has 4850 patients and has to say goodbye to 850. Wednesday 26 November at 9 you can log in and confirm that you would like to be one of the 4000 who can continue as a patient… but it is first come, first served, so it has to be fast.
That’s roughly how the message sounded, and that message got the conversation going in Sæby.
Because what about the elderly who find it difficult with computers, e-box and Mit.ID.
– And what about those who are not registered for e-box at all, but receive the letter in paper form. If they are unlucky, they only get the letter after the first 4,000 have registered at the doctor’s office, says 60-year-old Per Østergaard, who is outraged on behalf of the elderly.
– You could just as well organize a four kilometer race where all the patients had to compete against each other – both those with and without crutches. It is not difficult to work out who will come first. I have a background in IT, and have been contacted by many older people who asked me for help, he says.
The server was quickly up and running again, and Per Østergaard signed himself up, just as he made sure that his old mother was also among the first.
– It shows that very, very many of the 4,850 patients were ready at the keyboard on Wednesday morning. And shows that those who just think about it for a few days will be among those who will change doctors, he says.
Under the bus with the weakest
Per Østergaard would prefer that the region had a number of criteria which would determine who can stay in the medical center and who has to change.
– This is equivalent to asking a demented person to run a sack race against a 25-year-old, says Per Søndergaard. Photo: Martél Andersen
– When it is the first-come, first-served principle that applies, in my opinion we throw the weakest under the bus and prioritize those who can handle a computer – and these are typically not the elderly and weak, he says.
Sad atmosphere in the hospital
In Lægehuset Sæbygårdvej, it is sad to say goodbye to 850 patients.
The background is that one of the doctors retired more than a year ago, and that it has been impossible to find a replacement.
– We are very busy and simply have no other choice. It is important to us that our patients feel that we have time to help them properly. Therefore, we have to reduce the number of patients, say the three doctors, Janni Kristensen, Ditte Værens and Camilla H. Brix, in a written reply to Nordjyske.
The three doctors have sympathy for Per Østergaard’s idea that the most vulnerable patients should be self-signed to continue in the doctor’s office.
– But unfortunately the rules do not allow that, and it is not something we have any influence on, they state.
On the other hand, the doctors have experienced understanding among the patients.
– You can see that it can’t be any different when we unfortunately lack a doctor, it says.
All patients are treated the same
In Region North Jutland, people fully understand that as a patient in a doctor’s office, you are tired of having to change doctors. It just can’t be any other way and you can’t offer the elderly people priority to stay in the hospital.
– According to the legislation, the region must ask all patients to choose a doctor’s clinic – we do not have the option of creating alternative forms of patient sharing, e.g. with a background in age or seniority, says Morten Korsbæk Isager, who is a specialist consultant in Region North Jutland.
He also states that it is a balancing act when deciding when the affected patients must be informed.
– If we wait too long, we risk that it will be forgotten, and if we wait too long, we risk that the citizens who are not registered for digital mail will not get the information before the doctor’s choice, he says .
This time the choice was that patients received the information in their e-box a little over a week before they had to choose a doctor’s office – also because the citizens who are not registered for digital mail should be able to receive the information as a letter.
– And it is of course a process that we must evaluate afterwards – and if we find grounds to do it differently in the future, we will of course do so, says Morten Korsbæk Isager.
Space for everyone in Sæby
When the doctors in Lægehuset Sæbygårdvej came up with the wish to adjust the number of patients down, Region North Jutland investigated the capacity of the other clinics in the area – with a positive result.
– The 850 patients, who no longer have to be associated with their current doctor’s office, can all find a doctor in their immediate area. No one needs to e.g. Frederikshavn, says Morten Korsbæk Isager, who also states that he has worked in his position in Region North Jutland for almost eight years, and that he has not previously experienced that a medical clinic has had to reduce the number of patients.
– It happens incredibly rarely. Fortunately, he says.
The change of doctor for the 850 patients takes effect on 1 February 2025.
2024-11-28 10:21:00
#Hospital #throws #patients #triggers #race #criticism
How can healthcare systems address the needs of elderly patients who may lack digital literacy or access when implementing online solutions like patient registration?
## Interview: A Digital Divide in Healthcare Access
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Today we’re discussing a concerning situation unfolding in Denmark, where patients are facing a difficult choice due to a shortage of doctors. Per Østergaard, thank you for joining us.
**Per Østergaard:** Thank you for having me.
**Host:** You recently experienced firsthand the challenges of accessing healthcare when your local clinic announced they needed to reduce their patient list. Can you share what happened?
**Per Østergaard:** Absolutely. We received a message from the Region North Jutland saying our clinic had to say goodbye to 850 patients. The process to select who stays was a first-come, first-served online registration – a digital race.
**Host:** That sounds incredibly stressful. Were there concerns about elderly patients who might not be comfortable with computers or even have access to them?
**Per Østergaard:** Absolutely. I was outraged. Many older people are not tech-savvy and rely on paper correspondence. Some might not even have internet access. This process unfairly disadvantages them, essentially throwing the weakest under the bus. It’s like asking a demented person to win a race against a 25-year-old.
**Host:** Did the clinic or the region offer any alternative solution for these vulnerable patients?
**Per Østergaard:** Unfortunately, no. The clinic sympathized with our concerns, but they explained their hands were tied by regional regulations.
**Host:** Mr. Isager, as a specialist consultant in Region North Jutland, can you shed light on the region’s perspective on this situation?
**Morten Korsbæk Isager:** We understand the frustration this situation causes, but we are bound by legislation that requires us to treat all patients equally. Unfortunately, we don’t have the option of prioritizing certain groups, such as the elderly, during the selection process.
**Host:** But isn’t there a public health concern here? Shouldn’t healthcare access be equitable, especially for those who are most vulnerable?
**Morten Korsbæk Isager:** We strive for equitable access, but when faced with a doctor shortage, difficult decisions have to be made. We believe the fairest approach is to give all patients an equal opportunity to select a clinic.
**Host:** This raises important questions about the digital divide in healthcare access. What can be done to ensure that technology doesn’t exclude vulnerable populations from essential services? Per, do you have thoughts on this?
**Per Østergaard:** We need flexibility and empathy in healthcare systems. Perhaps combining digital registration with dedicated assistance for elderly patients who struggle with technology. We can’t leave anyone behind in the digital age, especially when it comes to something as vital as healthcare.
**Host:** Thank you both for sharing your perspectives on this complex issue. Clearly, there’s a need for open dialog and creative solutions to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all, regardless of their technological abilities.