Struggle for control: General practitioners in the Swedish health care system

Abstract

This paper reports on findings on the perspectives of general practitioners (GPs) in Sweden since the introduction of the Stockholm model. The research design was exploratory with the intention of discovering several perspectives shared by doctors. The subjects were asked to describe their work, how long they had been working and to describe whether they were familiar with the Stockholm model. Questions also focused on professional autonomy, the use of diagnostic related groups (DRGs), the isolation of work and the possible impact on patient care. While previous research suggests that doctors may be losing autonomy, the experience in Sweden, in particular, as it relates to GPs, may be different. Most of the doctors interviewed reported that the Stockholm model had increased productivity and efficiency, that economic incentives influenced their medical decisions and that medical treatment appears more patient focused than before. GPs reported an enhanced social and economic status within the medical profession since the introduction of the Stockholm model.