Patients` Responses to Postponement of Surgery, 2000.

The basis for the survey is to gain an understanding of patients' experience of being removed from an operating schedule. Removal from operating schedules is a major problem in health care, especially since patients are affected so directly. The survey was conducted by the surgical department, the Regional Hospital in Rogaland, where 8.4% of the operated patients in 1999 experienced being removed from their scheduled operation. Through understanding the experience of being removed from an operating schedule, we can take steps to prevent damages experienced by the patient whether they see it as trivial or "a catastrophe".