title: [The waiting list guarantee and its violation. Characteristics of patients who have been waiting more than five months].
abstract: In Norway as a whole, an average of six percent of all patients who had been guaranteed treatment within six months had not received treatment as promised. A survey of 917 orthopaedic "guarantee patients" who had waited longer than five months for treatment showed that 486 patients had waited longer than six months. 28% of the patients were suffering from hip or back problems, and the majority were suffering from problems in the extremities. In the case of 11% treatment was, in their own view, no longer relevant, and 2/3 were not interested in receiving treatment at another hospital, if this were to be offered. In the case of 33% of the patients the referring doctor thought it reasonable that the waiting time had exceeded six months.
authors.affiliation: Barneavdelingen Aker sykehus, Oslo.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abyholm
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riise
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Melsom
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Piene
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gulbrandsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014850:Waiting Lists
vernacular_title: Ventetidsgarantien og garantibrudd. Karakteristika ved pasienter som venter mer enn fem måneder.