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Hospital waiting time in Norway: What is the role of organizational change?

SINTEF Health Research, Trondheim, Norway, linda.midttun{at}sintef.no, Institute of Health Management and Health Economics, University of Oslo

Pål E. Martinussen

SINTEF Health Research, Trondheim, Norway, Institute of Health Management and Health Economics, University of Oslo

Background: During the last five years the Norwegian hospital sector has experienced massive reorganization efforts. The aim of this study is to establish whether two such initiatives — the introduction of ring fencing of elective surgery and activity-based budgets at department level — have had any effects on one of the most profiled objectives on the health political agenda: reduction in waiting time. Methods: The sample studied includes 41 hospitals observed at two points of time, 1999 and 2001. Waiting time is expected to be a result of imbalance between demand and supply. Measures representing the supply side (ring fencing, activity-based budgets at departmental level, physician rate, share of emergency admissions, technical efficiency, and hospital type) and the demand side (living conditions and share of persons aged 67 or older) are included in the operationalized model. The model is estimated via stepwise OLS regression. Results: The results document a negative relationship between ring fencing and waiting time, with the estimated waiting time reduction amounting to 22 days. Both the demand side variables also exert significant effects on waiting time. Conclusion: Although information on ring fencing, living conditions, and age distribution renders possible some predictions concerning waiting time, the current research topic should be revisited when a longer time period has elapsed. When the organizational changes have become more thoroughly embedded in the hospitals, more refined conclusions regarding hospital organizations' behaviour and effects of reorganization can be drawn.

Key Words: Hospital reform • Norwegian healthcare • organisational change • somatic hospitals • waiting time

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Vol. 33, No. 6, 439-446 (2005)
DOI: 10.1080/14034940510005950


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