Decision support systems for choosing a primary health care provider in Sweden

ObjectiveTo evaluate how patients are supported with information and other forms of Web-based decision support for making an informed choice of a primary health care provider.MethodsThe article is based on a comparative case study of recently developed tools provided by Web portals in Sweden (one national, three regional). The theoretical framework for analysis is the general calculation model, including the steps of isolating, examining, and ranking available options.ResultsThe provision of information and other forms of support is reasonable when it comes to isolating a particular alternative or presenting a general view of alternatives. As for examining and ranking, one regional system and one national system offer support based on information from patient surveys and waiting times, and one regional system offers support based on provider competencies.ConclusionOne design alternative is to represent the opinions of patients about care centers, another is to represent the characteristics of care centers, and a third is to combine the two. The general calculation model is relevant as a framework for analysis from a practical as well as a theoretical viewpoint.Practical implicationsThe study provides practical examples of decision support for patient choice in primary health care.