[Patients' attitude towards the hospital system in eastern and western Denmark. Patient involvement, patient orthodoxy and information gathering].

Introduction: Based on results from the Danish National Patient Satisfaction Survey (2000, 2002), which showed that patients treated in hospitals in western Denmark (West) had more positive experiences than patients treated in hospitals in eastern Denmark (East), the Unit of Patient Evaluation examined what factors may be creating the regional differences in patients' experiences.

Materials And Methods: This research is based on qualitative research methods and has decoded the sense ascribed by each patient, based on his or her own understanding, norms and values, to phenomena and experiences during hospitalisation. The research was carried out in four orthopaedic departments, and hip patients were chosen as the target group.