Thousands of examinations went unreported: Private operator neglected legally required register for years

For nearly three years, the private clinic Medi3 Oslo performed thousands of colonoscopies on behalf of Helse Sør-Øst without submitting legally mandated quality reports to the national register Gastronet. This omission occurred while the clinic was contracted to provide services for the regional health authority.

The lack of reporting came to light after Helse Sør-Øst terminated its agreement with Medi3 Oslo in September of the previous year. This decision followed several instances where cancer cases were overlooked, leading to apologies from both the clinic and the health authority to affected patients.

According to Gastronet, reports from Medi3 Oslo were not received until April 2025, despite the clinic having already conducted thousands of procedures. The purpose of Gastronet is to improve diagnostics, enhance patient safety, and potentially aid in the prevention of bowel cancer. The mandatory reporting aims to ensure a high standard of care and allow for comprehensive analysis of procedures.

A physician has voiced alarm over the situation, stating, "It is frightening that the authorities do not focus on quality." This sentiment highlights concerns about the oversight and quality control mechanisms in place for private healthcare providers operating under public contracts. The failure to report raises questions about patient safety and the effectiveness of the healthcare system's quality assurance processes.