The use of 'Tell-us Cards' in basic care is an intervention facilitating communication for enhanced patient participation in basic care. The effectiveness of the card is tested by Jangland et al (18) in a population of patients admitted to the hospitals surgical wards. The use of the 'Tell-us Card' in this patient group resulted in significant improvements in patients abilities to participate in decisions about their nursing and medical care. In our study we will investigate feasibility and effectiveness of the 'Tell-us cards' in three different hospital settings; patients admitted to the hospitals' surgical and medical wards and in patients attending the hospitals' emergency department.