Identitetskonstruktioner af patienter

This paper focuses on patient identity in the Danish Health Act. Traditionally, the ideology of the welfare state has been based on equality and solidarity and the state has so far been responsible for the provision of health care services. Recent research suggests, however, that the implementation of New Public Management affects the welfare model and creates increasing inequality among citizens. These developments make it relevant to study how underlying ideologies may affect the construction of patient identity and health in the Danish welfare system. This would imply studying the role of identity at societal level, and in this paper we therefore ask whether the Danish Health Act constructs persons in need of care as vulnerable patients or as empowered citizens in line with recommendations by policy makers. The question we ask is whether the construction of patient identity in the Danish Health Act might be indicative of changes in the Danish welfare system.