Many patients experience primary care as inaccessible and disjointed, which leads to insecurity and anxiety. This is shown in a compilation of patient complaints.
It is the Inspectorate of Health and Care (Ivo) and the Patient Board (Pan) that are responsible for the compilation.
Of the 13,784 complaints received by Pan and Ivo about primary care, such as health centers and child health centers, 16% relate to accessibility and healthcare responsibility.
The most common complaint is that it is difficult to get in touch with one's healthcare center. Some people also experience long waiting times, and some feel that they themselves must take responsibility for coordinating their own care when different healthcare units are involved.
"The lack of accessible care can exacerbate the illness or cause patients to miss serious health conditions, which is a patient safety risk. Insufficient accessibility to primary care can also mean that the patient seeks the wrong level of care and is forced to seek emergency care at a already overburdened emergency department," says Daniel Lilja, department head at Ivo, in a press release.
