(edit title) Where do I complain about Vårdcentral Very unhelpful doctor Options

[krzyz21]

@Keather,
Rather than trumping being a Swede and its a culture clash, have you really read the OP's post? If you have then did you understand what he/she is saying? There is clash regarding the time informed and the time entered in the database, thats the cause of conflict. Rudeness comes later.

Sorry to hear this story but I feel you should report this incident. I am sure nothing will happen but as a responsible resident (guess you are not Swedish citizen), you should try to offer them your help to improve the system and pluck out rotten apples, if any.

[Puffin]

I'm not sure exactly what it is you want to complain about - yes he was a little abrupt with you but what was it you wanted him to do?

- both you and the doctor seem to have been caught out by the same issue - he didn't make your appointment and the computerised journal system will have said 4.15 - yet you were working on the assumption of 4.30 - so how is the doctor to blame for somone else inputing the time incorrectly any more than you are?

- you say "I reached by 4.25 PM or so" - so it sounds as though you may have been a little late even for the 4.30 appointment - you seem to be cutting it very fine - most people try to arrive in good time - espcially for an emmergency appointment - sounds like VC were waiting to lock up.

- He did offer you a sensible alternative - the problem was that you didn't understand the way that the care system works - the doctor informs you that you can take your child to the GP on call at the acute unit - a very sensible suggestion which you reject - but you seem not to understand that this is the usual thing in Sweden as there is an out of hours GP on duty at the acute unit who handles routine cases not requiring specialist care.

- you say that the doctor was standing at reception and that the receptionist gave you a note about jourmottagning - so you received the information directly - maybe the doctor was unaware if temporary as is common

- many doctors who work in VC are temporary staff - at mine 5 of 6 doctors are temporary so they may have not known about the jourmottagning - he may have been contracted to be at this VC for one day only from 7am to 4.30 PM.

- if you cannot speak Swedish you must book a translator or say that you need to speak English when booking the time

[Kalyissa]

I am having to wait a week for my appointment at Vårdcentral. Though I don't know if some are considered more of an emergency so they keep times free for them, Though one good thing is the next day in the post I got a letter confirming the time of my appointment. This will be my first time going to Vårdcentral so hoping they are not totally useless.

Also in the letter it says you are supposed to be there 15 minutes before the appointment time.

[Kaethar]

Kaethar,I think that some of the ex-pats have not learnt the way the system works here. If you learn how the system works and follow the procedure ( like being on time for app ... (show full quote)

Kaethar,

I think that some of the ex-pats have not learnt the way the system works here. If you learn how the system works and follow the procedure ( like being on time for appointments) it works very well.

I am a type II diabetic and find that the treatment that I get here is far superior to that I received in the U.K. from both my Doctor and the diabetic nurses etc.

When I first arrived here, I just registered with my nearest Vårdcentral, which turned out to be very good. Three years later, when I moved to the suburbs, I was advised by a friend, not to change to the local Vårdcentral as things like blood tests took longer and the facilities where not quite as good. ... (hide full quote)

Yeah, I think that's part of it. I won't doubt that there are problems since no system is perfect. But something seems to be up since most expats seem to have an extremely negative view of the system.

@Keather,Rather than trumping being a Swede and its a culture clash, have you really read the OP's post? If you have then did you understand what he/she is saying? There i ... (show full quote)

@Keather,
Rather than trumping being a Swede and its a culture clash, have you really read the OP's post? If you have then did you understand what he/she is saying? There is clash regarding the time informed and the time entered in the database, thats the cause of conflict. Rudeness comes later. ... (hide full quote)

Did you read my post? I even said that he probably skipped the fine - which is usual - because of the misunderstanding. But the OP isn't complaining about the misheard time (which would be the receptionists fault or her fault *which she admits*) - she's complaining about the doctor. And he may not have been the nicest doctor ever but he didn't do anything wrong. And hey, I'm not trying to be an ass. I feel bad for the OP really, since it sucks missing an appointment for whatever reason but I'm just saying that I don't see what good complaining will do. She's free to, but don't be surprised if they don't understand your complaint. He could have had a bad day or she could have had a bad day and interpreted what he said wrong. Either way there's no real basis for a complaint unless the doctor was being an ass (and witnesses can testify to this). Then he'll be warned, but otherwise...

[Princess P]

I think that part of the reason many expats have a negative view of the system is because accessing the care you need can be very difficult if you do not speak the language well enough. There are systems in place to help, like having a translator at appointments, but the act of actually getting an appointment in the first place can be very difficult.

For example, here you have to ring up and follow the instructions on an automated system. A nurse then calls back, usually within an hour, who then takes details of the problem and books an appointment for you. All very simple if you speak the language.

If you don't speak the language well enough you can't navigate the automated system. I know that I have to press 1, then 2 and then put in my phone number followed by hash. I have no idea what the message says. They changed it once so I kept leaving messages asking for an appointment in the wrong section. These calls were never returned, despite the fact that it is the same person who deals with both sets of messages. I figured I was doing something wrong but there is nobody to talk to face to face so I couldn't work out what.

Then there is the dreaded phone call. I have to try and speak Swedish as the nurse doesn't speak English. Trying to explain symptoms over the phone when you don't have the vocabulary is an absolute nightmare. My Swedish is coming along quite well but even so, I still put off seeing a doctor when I need to because I dread this part of it. It would be so much better for us if we could speak to someone face to face in order to make the appointment. My old vc knew this and allowed people without the necessary language skills to book appointments with the receptionist. My new vc won't.

Once you actually get through the door though I have found the health service to be brilliant so far.

[Rick Methven]

I agree that phone booking thing can be a bit daunting and trying to talk 'medical Swedish' is a bit difficult for most ex-pats. I can get by, but prefer my wife to do the booking for me and talk to the nurse over the phone. I'm scared that they might misunderstand the ailment I am calling about because of the use of the wrong word or mis pronunciation

[Monark540]

The following might help others, or the next time for the OP:

If you live in the Stockholm area, you can easily book an appointment at your local vårdcentral on the internet - in English, if need be - but, you may need to pre-register first if you don't have any e-legitimation.

With my ID card from Skatteverket I needed to sign up for an account and a password was in the mail to me the next day. You can book and change appointments, etc.

Here's the website:
My health care contacts

And here is the description:

My health care contacts

There is an easy route to healthcare. My Healthcare Contacts is an e-service that lets you request, cancel, or reschedule appointments, refill prescriptions, or ask your medical centre to contact you. Each local medical centre decides which issues patients can take care of towards them via My Healthcare Contacts.

If your registered address is in an affiliated county, you can set up a user account that makes it possible for you to contact your medical centre concerning various issues and enter notes in a calendar about scheduled doctor's appointments, vaccinations and more.

Many medical centres are affiliated with the service. Click "Anslutna landsting" (Affiliated countys/medical centres) on the menu to the left to see if yours is included.

[Kalyissa]

I was quite lucky then with the language problems the nurse I called up spoke reasonable English and if I spoke slow she understood me. But i live in Malmö city centre so I guess there are alot of english speakers the,

[krigeren]

Get to know your doctors on a personal level. They are people to and go out to eat, live life, etc. We have two doctors for the family both are from Eastern Europe originally. Travel in circles they do and it helps to nudge your way in through the door. The system here can work "ok" if you work well with the people within it.

[Gretchen]

Hej,
you can find private pediatricians in Stockholm if you like the idea more of having a contact point who is always the same. I really like the idea that one doctor who knows my children - and they get to know him - treats them all the time.
Once they know you, you usually get an appointment really fast. This might not be an option for really acute cases, but for more medium term once it can be.
You can also find doctors who speak all kinds of foreign languages.
All the best,
G.
www.privatvard.info

[tommycapes]

kaether

This is an expat forum and not for lame f&%kers who have visited one country in their life. you do not understand the issue and are a brain washed idiot who has no reasonable opinion. get a life and get out of the forum you transparent swedish nazi.

i have had a varied experience of the healthcare here and it isnt great. complaining doesnt work because THIS IS SWEDEN. no one is wrong and customer service doesnt exist. Sweden is great and they can learn nothing.

i had a heart problem but the doctor saw fit to lecture me about speaking english. This country is lost and there is nothing you can do about it.

[007]

kaetherThis is an expat forum and not for lame f&%kers who have visited one country in their life. you do not understand the issue and are a brain washed idiot who has no ... (show full quote)

kaether

This is an expat forum and not for lame f&%kers who have visited one country in their life. you do not understand the issue and are a brain washed idiot who has no reasonable opinion. get a life and get out of the forum you transparent swedish nazi. ... (hide full quote)

*sighs. the quality of posters the forum attracts these days is lamentable. but let's start with...

STFU

1. it's NOT an expat forum. it's a forum in english for anyone.
2. it's not a forum which tolerates personal attacks. you don't like what someone has said, disagree, but don't go calling people names
3. if anyone is unwelcome it would be people who think they have some authority to exclude people.

[*Trowbridge H. Ford*]

While I don't know anything about how to complain about medical assistance, I do know how to get additional help if you want.

Just go to a hospital like Danderyd, and check in with their staff. It will treat you immediately.

My girlfriend has been having all kinds of problems with her brain, and was not getting real help from the local doctor though she was trying as best she could.

So, we went to Danderyd early this morning, and she immediately saw a doctor who recommended that she have a capscan - what she is now waiting for.

Action almost always does better than words, particularly complaining ones.

[Lostaussie]

So, we went to Danderyd early this morning, and she immediately saw a doctor who recommended that she have a capscan - what she is now waiting for.

I guess you mean CAT scan or CT scan ie "Computerized Axial Tomography", I have never heard of a capscan.

[*Trowbridge H. Ford*]

You're right. There is no such thing as a capscan.