Registry Data Studies (Studies 1 and 2, starting in spring 2021)

We use registry data from the Norwegian Patient Registry (NPR), the Municipal Patient and User Registry (KPR), and Statistics Norway (SSB) to examine the use of municipal health and care services among older adults (aged 65+) who are high-cost patients of somatic hospital services. We investigate the content of the services and how patients are followed up within the municipal health and services. Furthermore, we explore the relationships between the number of acute admissions to somatic hospitals among older adults and the use of municipal health and care services/proactive measures.

The project aims to generate knowledge about intended and unintended variations in service utilization among groups of older adult patients. Such knowledge might contribute to improving patient pathways, service collaboration, service provision and reducing unintended variations in service utilization.

Important Information about Registry Data Studies

The study population is older adults aged ≥ 65 years with at least one acute contact to public somatic hospital services in 2019. Patients with only planned inpatient admissions and/or planned day treatment/outpatient consultations are not included in the project. Data on service utilization in psychiatric healthcare or interdisciplinary specialized substance abuse treatment (TSB) are not included. Due to the sample size and the lack of contact information to the registered individuals, it will not be practically possible to obtain informed consent or provide information to each registered patient. The processing of personal data is evaluated as necessary to perform tasks in the public interest, and the processing of special categories of data is necessary for scientific research. The legal basis for processing is the General Data Protection Regulation, Article 6.1(e), Article 9.2(j), pursuant to the Personal Data Act, §§ 8 and 9. The project processes data such as age, sex, marital status, household/housing type, health region, municipality type (according to population), education level, household income, main diagnosis groups, resource utilization in specialist healthcare (DRG), as well as the use of somatic hospital services, municipal health and care services, informal caregiver assistance, and follow-up measures from municipal health and care services. We cannot trace individuals in the dataset, and it is highly unlikely that individuals can be identified. In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation, those registered have the right to access (Article 15), rectification (Article 16), erasure (Article 17), restriction (Article 18), notification (Article 19), and objection (Article 21). These rights apply to the extent that it is possible to securely identify individuals in the data. These rights can be exercised by contacting the principal investigator or the coordinator of the project.

Those responsible for the project at UiT The Arctic University of Norway do not have access to personal identification numbers or other directly identifiable information. Numerous measures have been taken to ensure that the risk to data privacy is reduced, allowing data to be processed in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation. The entire project has been evaluated by the Norwegian Centre for Research Data (NSD), and a privacy impact assessment has been reviewed and approved by the Data Protection Officer and the university management at UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, as well as by the Regional Committees for Medical and Health Research Ethics (REK North). Permissions have also been obtained for the use of data from the various registries. Data will be stored in the Services for Sensitive Data (Tjenester for sensitive data, TSD) at the University of Oslo, which is considered a highly secure solution for storing sensitive research data. Postdoctoral researcher Jill-Marit Moholt is responsible for managing access to TSD, and only three researchers involved in statistical analyses will have access to the data. Patients have the right to know what information is registered about them in the Norwegian Patient Registry (NPR) and the Municipal Patient and User Registry (KPR), and who are receiving identifiable health information about them. For more information, please see the Norwegian Directorate of Health.

Interview Study (Study 3, starting in the autumn of 2020)

In this sub-study, we explore how healthcare providers within the municipal health and care services recognize and describe older patients who are frequently admitted to somatic hospitals. In collaboration with the postdoctoral researcher in the project "Practice and Framework Conditions for Coordinated and Personalized Services for Individuals with Long-term and Complex Service Needs", we conducted six focus group interviews with healthcare professionals in municipal health and care services in the fall of 2020 and winter of 2021. Participants were recruited from municipalities in Northern Norway with varying geographical locations, sizes, and proximity to hospitals. Participants have extensive experience within municipal health and care services, as well as working with patients with long-term and complex health and care needs.

Important Information to Participants in the Interview Study

On behalf of UiT The Arctic University of Norway, the Norwegian Centre for Research Data AS (NSD) has assessed that the processing of personal data in this project complies with relevant articles of the General Data Protection Regulation.

The interview data are stored in the Services for Sensitive Data (Tjenester for sensitive data, TSD) at the University of Oslo, which is considered a highly secure solution for storing sensitive research data. Postdoctoral researcher Jill-Marit Moholt is responsible for managing access to TSD, and only three researchers involved in the analysis will have access to the data.

Contact

If you, as a participant, have questions related to NSD's assessment of the project, you can contact NSD via email (personverntjenester@nsd.no) or by phone at 55 58 21 17.

Questions for the Data Protection Officer at UiT The Arctic University of Norway can be directed to Joakim Bakkevold via email (personvernombud@uit.no) or by phone at 776 46322.

If you have questions related to the project or the sub-studies, you can contact Project Coordinator Jill-Marit Moholt via email (jill-marit.moholt@uit.no) or by phone at 77660701.