Local interpretations of health policy concepts : the exemple of Närsjukvård in Sweden

Health care systems in Europe face many challenges requiring greater integration of health and social care. The health policy response in government financed health systems has varied but a consistent feature has been continual change in an attempt to secure greater efficiencies and to meet patient expectations concerning service quality. This paper explores the manifestation of this phenomenon in a subregion of Sweden, where a new concept ‘Närsjukvård’ (literally Nearby Care) was introduced. Method: Data was collected through interviews and questionnaires. A convenience sample of 57 practitioners and managers was interviewed. A questionnaire with four statements based upon the findings from the interviews was answered by 1361 practitioners, managers and politicians working in primary health care, in municipalities and in hospitals. Results: The findings illustrated that the concept was interpreted as; accessibility to hospital beds, accessibility to primary health care, collaboration between care providers and continuity and developed home care. The study revealed different understanding and interpretations partly depending on the respondents’ professional domain and their organisational elonging. Conclusion: A prerequisite for creating a common meaning to the expression ‘Närsjukvård’ is that activities that help the creation of meaning are offered at and between all domain levels and organisations.