More competition needed in the Norwegian health care system 

Former Director of Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Åge Danielsen, called for more competition in the Norwegian health care system when he addressed the audience at the Progress Party political conference in Tønsberg this weekend.

In his lecture, he outlined the many problems facing the Norwegian health care system. Among them is the lack of competition from private providers. “There are too few private actors involved in Norwegian health care”, said the former hospital director.

Today, Norway is among the countries with the fewest private health care providers. 

“In order to improve the quality of health care services, there must be competition”, said Danielsen.

This is exactly what the Progress Party has proposed for decades, but what has been labelled cold and inhuman by the ruling Labour party.

Danielsen also addressed the issue of efficiency, or rather, the lack of it. “If we introduce more competition, especially in support functions such as cleaning and catering, expenses will decrease and efficiency will increase”, said Danielsen.

Danielsen expressed a disappointment with recent health care reforms, which have not been successful. The reforms have neither increased quality nor efficiency. In addition, the reforms have actually contributed to escalating costs.  

”We depend on a qualified system. We don’t have that today”, Danielsen concluded.