How we wish to be cited:
Norberg B. Universal Emergency Service – a breakthrough for public health care [health]. Rondel 2005; 23. URL: http://www.rondellen.net

Universal Emergency Service
A breakthrough for public health care

Editorial background

In contrast to connoisseurs (1, 2), mass media of Sweden are inclined to accuse the public health care of Sweden for being inefficient, slow, and expensive. Mrs. Gun Berg has previously criticized the health care for its inability to provide her crippled husband with hip prostheses within reasonable time (3). During the following year, Mrs. Berg herself was struck by age-related macular degeneration in her right eye. The nursing and doctoring of her malady was better. The figure describes a bilateral asymmetric fibrosis of maculae in another patient (4).

Universal Emergency Service

In June 2004, Gun Berg discovered that she could not see the central part of the clock, although the numerals around the circumference of the clock were visible to her. She remembered an advertisement from the County Council about their Universal Emergency Service and dialled. A nurse answered, listened, and found an appointment for examination the same day. A year later, Mrs. Berg still has a loss of central vision in her right eye, but she has been handled and treated with respect and empathy. Thus, she is the first to admit the virtue of the new service.

The Universal Emergency Service appears to provide a political initiative to improve the reputation of public health care in Sweden. Most patients are satisfied and grateful. The service is still in development; at present, the Universal Emergency Service has different telephone numbers in different County Councils. In the future, the services are planned to have the same call, 1177, an extension of the general crisis call, 112.

The idea of a Universal Emergency Service utilizes the large-scale production of public health care for the convenience of the citizens (5). However, exceptional patients in crisis are dissatisfied with the service (6). In a historical perspective, the Swedish society has been a bit slow in allocating health care to the site of the population (3,5); since 1950, people have left the rural parts of the country and assembled in the big cities.

Like many other ailments, macular lesions are worst at start, before re-orientation and adjustment. Paul the Apostle lost his sight on the Way to Damascus (Acts 9:1-30). It is possible that the basic biological lesion was macular. Nevertheless, he had a new career as industrialist, travelling minister, and author. The Universal Emergency Service of the County Councils provide a modern substitute for the support of clan and congregation in the past.

Bo Norberg

References
  1. Dedijer S. What Swedes do not know about Sweden [culture]. Rondel 2004; 19. URL: http://www.rondellen.net/culture19_eng.htm
  2. Dzaferagic S. Obituary – Stevan Dedijer and the reformation of intelligence [health]. Rondel 2004; 20. URL: http://www.rondellen.net/culture20_eng.htm
  3. Norberg B. Swedish health care and the patient – views of a wife [health]. Rondel 2004; 18. URL: http://www.rondellen.net/health18_eng.htm
  4. Mörnstad H, Norberg B. Medical trouble-shooting. An introduction to doctoring. Sweden, Gothenburg 0991, p. 28. ISBN 91-630-0538-7
  5. Norberg B. Leadership and ownership. The Swedish crisis of health care [health]. Rondel 2002; 12. URL: http://www.rondellen.net/health12_eng.htm
  6. Norberg B. The structure of existential crisis - "Shut up and drown like a man!" [culture]. Rondel 2004; 18. URL: http://www.rondellen.net/culture18_eng.htm

Published June 20, 2005