The Minister of Health does not intervene in the PCI dispute in the north – news Troms and Finnmark

A year-long dispute between the professional communities at the University Hospital of Northern Norway and Nordlandssykehuset has been settled. During a meeting between Health Minister Jan Christian Vestre (Ap), and the management at the hospitals in Helse Nord on Wednesday, it emerged that the government will not intervene. As a result, the decision that the University Hospital of Northern Norway in Tromsø will be responsible for PCI treatment in the north will stand. There will be a day service in Bodø, and a 24-hour service in Tromsø, and Tromsø will be responsible. This comes in the wake of an expert committee concluding that the creation of a PCI center in Bodø in 2020 had had no health benefits. Increased mortality and cooperation problems worried the committee. After many years of tug-of-war, Nordlandssykehuset got its own PCI center in Bodø in 2020. Previously, PCI was only available at UNN in Tromsø, and many patients had to be flown in for treatment. Although the expert committee found no health benefit from the offer, they highlighted the advantage that many patients did not have to travel to Tromsø for treatment. Extensive collaboration problems have been a major challenge since the center was established in Bodø. Published 03.07.2024, at 10.45 Updated 03.07.2024, at 10.54



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