Geographical variation in radiological services: a nationwide survey.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Geographical variation in health care services challenges the basic principle of fair allocation of health care resources. This study aimed to investigate geographical variation in the use of X-ray, CT, MRI and Ultrasound examinations in Norway, the contribution from public and private institutions, and the impact of accessibility and socioeconomic factors on variation in examination rates.

Methods

A nationwide survey of activity in all radiological institutions for the year 2002 was used to compare the rates per thousand of examinations in the counties. The data format was files/printouts where the examinations were recorded according to a code system.

Results

Overall rates per thousand of radiological examinations varied by a factor of 2.4. The use of MRI

SUBMITTER: Lysdahl KB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1805434 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature