[The waiting list guarantee. Variations in frequency of receiving the waiting list guarantee]

From 1987, patients waiting for treatment in Norwegian hospitals are given different degrees of priority, from zero to five. As from 1990, patients in priority group two are placed on a special list, and a report is made if they have not been treated within six months. There is a considerable variation in the frequency with which the patients are given this treatment guarantee in the different Norwegians counties. In the case of gynaecological patients the frequency varies from one to 94%, of urological patients from 43 to 100%, of orthopaedic patients from 21 to 89% and of otorhinolaryngological patients from 21 to 89%. The same variations are also seen within a single region of the country, and between departments. The reason for this discrepancy may be varying composition of the population, different extents of day surgery or different economic strategic thinking. Probably the main reason is that the criteria for giving a waiting list guarantee are not accepted as operational. This leads to different medical judgments when evaluating the applications for treatment in hospital.