The setting (primary - secondary - tertiary care) can vary between different countries depending on the health care system. (De)centralisation could have some economical and qualitative benefits. Centralisation could make the technology more difficult to access. Sometimes screening test (for example maternal ultrasound) needs special experience from personnel which is possible after education and sufficient amount of patients. Centralisation could make screening or further investigation more difficult to access. For example timing is important in foetal screening. Decentralisation makes screening more attainable but the quality can weaken.

Literature search, guidelines, reports and documents of hospital and hospital districts, health information databases (DRG etc.), own study: questionnaires and interviews of different actors of the process (monitoring authorities, hospitals, hospital districts, laboratory, participants).

B0005

Busse 2002, Kristensen 2001, Kristensen 2007, Senter för Medisinsk metodevurdering (SMM) 2003