[Rehabilitation of stroke patients in counties and municipalities. Status, development and aspects of cooperation].

This article describes rehabilitation services for stroke patients in Norwegian health care system as of November 1994. A telephone interview was carried out with chief medical officers in a representative sample of 77 primary health care districts. 47% of the informants reported that a 60-year-old patient with severe hemiplegia would receive rehabilitation in primary health care, 35% reported that this would take place in a hospital. The most frequent single offer for the case in hand would be a nursing home (35%). According to the medical officers, co-operation between primary and secondary health care on long-term rehabilitation of stroke patients is limited. Only 25% of our informants consider it useful. 67% claim that the rehabilitation provided at the secondary level is unsatisfactory. A review of plans currently prepared by the county health care authority shows that if they are implemented, stroke unit and rehabilitation wards will be the main components of future activities at this level of health care in Norway.