När garantin sviker: om vårdköer och remittering av patienter i Skåne och Stockholm
(2025) STVA23 20251Department of Political Science
- Abstract
- This thesis examines how Region Skåne and Region Stockholm work to comply with the Swedish care guarantee (vårdgarantin), with a particular focus on the management of waiting lists and the referral of patients to other regions. The study adopts a qualitative and comparative case study design based on document analysis of official reports, policy documents, and statistical data. The analysis is guided by two theoretical frameworks: principal-agent theory, which highlights conflicts of interest between the state and the regions, and historical institutionalism, which explains how long-term institutional structures shape current healthcare practices.
The results shows significant differences between the two regions. In Region Skåne, 43% of... (More) - This thesis examines how Region Skåne and Region Stockholm work to comply with the Swedish care guarantee (vårdgarantin), with a particular focus on the management of waiting lists and the referral of patients to other regions. The study adopts a qualitative and comparative case study design based on document analysis of official reports, policy documents, and statistical data. The analysis is guided by two theoretical frameworks: principal-agent theory, which highlights conflicts of interest between the state and the regions, and historical institutionalism, which explains how long-term institutional structures shape current healthcare practices.
The results shows significant differences between the two regions. In Region Skåne, 43% of patients wait longer than the 90-day limit set by the care guarantee for specialist care, compared to 20% in Region Stockholm. Despite the legal requirement to refer patients to other regions when capacity is insufficient, both regions make limited use of this option. The differences can partly be explained by organizational models: Stockholm’s market-oriented structure provides greater flexibility in purchasing healthcare, while Skåne’s more integrated public model focuses on internal capacity building. The study concludes that the care guarantee, in its current form, fails to ensure equal access to healthcare. The absence of effective sanctions and limited national oversight means that a patient’s place of residence significantly affects their access to care. The findings indicate a need for stronger state-level coordination, improved information-sharing between regions, and sharper incentives for referrals to strengthen healthcare accessibility and equality. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9210326
- author
- Mehmeti, Edmir LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- STVA23 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- L2 - 2nd term paper (old degree order)
- subject
- keywords
- care guarantee, vårdgaranti, vårdkö, patient referrals, Region Skåne, Region Stockholm, principal-agent theory, historical institutionalism
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9210326
- date added to LUP
- 2025-09-10 15:50:25
- date last changed
- 2025-09-10 15:50:25
@misc{9210326,
abstract = {{This thesis examines how Region Skåne and Region Stockholm work to comply with the Swedish care guarantee (vårdgarantin), with a particular focus on the management of waiting lists and the referral of patients to other regions. The study adopts a qualitative and comparative case study design based on document analysis of official reports, policy documents, and statistical data. The analysis is guided by two theoretical frameworks: principal-agent theory, which highlights conflicts of interest between the state and the regions, and historical institutionalism, which explains how long-term institutional structures shape current healthcare practices.
The results shows significant differences between the two regions. In Region Skåne, 43% of patients wait longer than the 90-day limit set by the care guarantee for specialist care, compared to 20% in Region Stockholm. Despite the legal requirement to refer patients to other regions when capacity is insufficient, both regions make limited use of this option. The differences can partly be explained by organizational models: Stockholm’s market-oriented structure provides greater flexibility in purchasing healthcare, while Skåne’s more integrated public model focuses on internal capacity building. The study concludes that the care guarantee, in its current form, fails to ensure equal access to healthcare. The absence of effective sanctions and limited national oversight means that a patient’s place of residence significantly affects their access to care. The findings indicate a need for stronger state-level coordination, improved information-sharing between regions, and sharper incentives for referrals to strengthen healthcare accessibility and equality.}},
author = {{Mehmeti, Edmir}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{När garantin sviker: om vårdköer och remittering av patienter i Skåne och Stockholm}},
year = {{2025}},
}