National assignment to coordinate care choice scheme
The Swedish Government is investing SEK 100 million in 2012 to develop care choice systems. As national coordinator, Roger Molin is tasked with stimulating development of the care choice scheme. A key part of the assignment entails looking into how the care choice scheme can be developed in open specialised medical care.
County councils who undertake to carry out a development project under certain criteria will qualify to receive state funding.
The Government has earmarked a total of SEK 360 million for 2012-2014 for national and county council initiatives that continue to strengthen the position of patients through a more advanced care choice scheme.
National care choice coordinator
Roger Molin is national care choice coordinator tasked with stimulating development of the care choice scheme.
A key part of his job is to look at how the scheme can be developed in open specialised medical care and to develop coordinated chains of care.
It is about the boundaries between levels of care and principals, such as between primary care, specialist care and elderly care.
Grant for the development of the care choice scheme
One prerequisite for qualifying for the funding is that the county council reports which measures they have taken thanks to the support of the grant and which initiatives they plan to carry out.
County councils will be able to independently decide in which ways they want to develop the existing care choice system and within the specialist care services. The grant should, for example, be distributed to county councils that develop a care choice system
- that aims to improve integration between the different parts of health care, such as comprehensive solutions through common care choice systems between the levels of care, across county council borders or in cooperation with municipalities;
- that aims to speed up the pace of innovation in health care;
- by adding new compensation systems, such as a compensation system that strengthens cross-organisation collaboration or promotes innovative ways of organising services; and
- that facilitates new forms of dialogue between buyer and contractor that aim to develop the services, improve follow-up and ensure competitive neutrality.
Exchange of experience in national networks
The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) will be responsible for a national network of county councils where experiences of the care choice system can be exchanged. This can be done in the form of topic-related seminars and conferences.
About the care choice system
County councils are required to introduce care choice systems that give people the right to choose private or public health centres. All care providers that fulfil the councils requirements have the right to set up facilities in the county and receive public compensation. Once they have introduced a care choice system, county councils apply the Act on free choice systems.
The system of compensation is based on the principle that the money follows the patients choice, and that public and private care providers are treated equally. It is up to each county council to determine the details concerning the compensation.
