After 14 years, Region Stockholm is changing its system of hearing care, a system that has been criticized by both patients and hearing impaired national associations. The system affects 100,000 people in the Stockholm region.
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Criticism of free choice
In 2011, Hearing Injured’s National Association (HRF) went out with the report ”The market’s market“, a report that criticized free elections in hearing care. In the report, HRF’s union chairman writes Jan-Peter Strömgren About how free choice was meant to increase the patient’s influence of their care, but that it has instead become a market where money is set before the patient’s needs.
News24 Have talked to Agneta Österman LindquistDistrict Chairman in Stockholm at the Hearing Damages National Association.
– The problems came from the beginning. We at HRF and many other actors, including the National Board of Health, have seen that it has led to many not understanding that they can get a socially funded hearing care entirely based on their medical needs without having to pay expensive money, says Österman Lindquist and continues;
– The system has been unclear and many patients have been trapped.
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Photo: Bertil Ericson/TTVAD is free choice?
Free choice has meant that patients in need of hearing care themselves have had to choose hearing aids. Either the patient has been able to choose a free hearing aid from the region’s range or hearing aid from a private range, where the region has entered and part -financed the purchase. Thus, the patient has been able to buy the hearing aid for a cheaper price and the region’s grant money has gone to the private sector. If the grant has not covered the price for the hearing aid, the patient himself has been responsible for the difference.
“Systematically deceived”
– Patients have been systematically deceived. I have gone with patients and they do not get information that there are free hearing aids. Without being recommended SEK 5,000 – 30,000 SEK hearing aids, says Österman Lindquist and continues;
– I want patients to feel safe in healthcare.
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What rights does the patient have today?
At the turn of the year, the free choice was discontinued in Stockholm, which today means that patients can either choose a free hearing aid from the region’s range or buy a hearing aid for full price from a private range.
Today, there are still problems in healthcare, which patients should pay attention to. It is important that the patient is in control of their rights and knows that they are entitled to free hearing aids from the region.
– They have to know their rights. They have the right to try and if they want to buy a hearing aid outside the region’s range, there is still the possibility. The problem still remains today, that everyone is not told that there are free hearing aids, explains Österman Lindquist.
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