Region Västerbotten is forced to send orthopedic patients to other hospitals: "Of course it's more expensive"

According to the care guarantee, patients must receive care within 90 days.

For patients in Västerbotten who are waiting for orthopedics, not even half receive care in time.

Then it is possible to invoke the care guarantee, which means that the hospital must try to offer care at another hospital or a private clinic.

- Not everyone can be sent away, but we try to help the patients as far as possible, says Stig-Evert Thornberg, director of operations at the movement organs center in Region Västerbotten.

More expensive for the region

But it costs money.

According to Stig-Evert Thornberg, Region Västerbotten paid almost SEK 18 million for orthopedics to external actors last year.

- It will of course be more expensive for the region, but it is difficult to say exactly how much, says Stig-Evert Thornberg.

The most seriously ill have to wait the longest

Over 300 patients were sent to other hospitals for treatment.

But many cannot be cared for in other places.

The most seriously ill usually have to be operated on at Norrland University Hospital, which can mean that they have to wait longer.

- It is a paradox.

Some patients have to be operated on here, says operations manager Stig-Evert Thornberg.

Watch the video where the operations manager answers three questions about the care queues.