Adoption of new health care services in Norway (1993-1997): specialists' self-assessment according to national criteria for priority setting.
OBJECTIVE
To identify health care services adopted in Norway in the period 1993-1997, and examine them according to proposed national guidelines for priority setting. These guidelines define core services.


METHODS
Two-stage self-administered questionnaire.


METHODS
The Norwegian public healthcare system.


METHODS
Presidents of all relevant specialist and sub-specialist associations in the Norwegian Medical Association (n=56).


METHODS
Number of adopted services satisfying the priority criteria of core services, according to physician's self-assessment. Number and type of interventions suited for the priority-setting criteria.


RESULTS
Thirty-two percent of new technologies satisfied the definition of core services according to specialists' own assessment. Of the 88 responses analysed for the second stage of our survey, fifteen answers (17%) indicated lack of applicability of the priority setting criteria. Loss of applicability was related to diagnostic and procedure-related technologies.


CONCLUSIONS
Less than one-half of the assessed technologies adopted in Norway in the period 1993-1997 satisfy proposed national criteria for priority setting. The guidelines are applicable for most interventions, but fail in most evaluations of diagnostic and procedure-related improvements. Independent and systematic evaluations of new technologies are needed within the context of priority setting.
Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Ulriksdal 8c, 5009, Bergen, Norway. ole.norheim@isf.uib.no
O F
OF
Norheim
O
O
Ekeberg
S A
SA
Evensen
M
M
Halvorsen
K
K
Kvernebo
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000592:standards*; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006292:Health Priorities / Q000145:classification*; D008511:Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009664:Norway; D013038:Specialization; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical