In What Ways Does Web Technology Support the Individual in Choice Reforms in Health Care?

Abstract

The aim of this article is to evaluate the provision of Web support in choice reforms in health care in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. Two main issues are investigated: (1) What institutional frameworks for choice in health care exist, and how is the exercise of choice supported by Web technology in these countries? (2) As a consequence of this, what roles of the individual are mediated by this technology? The present study provides a critical analysis of current technologies for providing information about health care. It is concluded that in Norway the individual is equipped to be a reasonably informed consumer, customer, and citizen. A similar situation exists in Denmark, but here the consumer role is even more prominent. In Sweden, there has been little technological support for these roles, but recently national actors have initiated a project aimed at creating a national portal for public health care.