Table 4 Nine hypotheses and whether they were confirmed

(i) Familiarity with priority setting criteria and guidelines

H1

A majority of doctors were familiar with the three official priority setting criteria

Yes

H2

A majority of doctors were not familiar with the legislation concerning priority setting

Yes

H3

A majority of doctors were not familiar with the national guidelines for priorities during the pandemic

Yes

H4

More doctors in managerial positions were familiar with the guidelines

Yes

H5

A majority of doctors did not use the national guidelines for priorities during the pandemic

Yes (partly)

(ii) Experiences with actual priorities during the pandemic

H6

A majority of doctors experienced that some of their patients were given a lower priority

Yes

H7

Of those who experienced lower priority for their patients, a majority deemed this medically indefensible

Yes

H8

Doctors in psychiatry more often reported patients being given a lower priority than doctors in somatic care

No

H9

Doctors in primary care (i.e., GPs, nursing home doctors) more often reported their patients being given lower priority than doctors in hospitals

No