The case in summary: Half of the patients who see their GP feel ill, but do not have a disease. A new conversation tool is now being used by GPs to deal with these patients. Research shows that sickness absence decreased by 27 per cent among patients with unexplained symptoms and complaints who used this tool. Patients reported increased function, fewer symptoms and better quality of life. NAV is impressed by the research and is considering using the conversation tool in its work. GPs across the country are now being trained in the use of this tool. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Four out of ten patients who visit their GP feel ill, but do not have a disease. GPs are trained to find disease, but they are not trained in what to do when they do not find disease. This often results in the patient being called in sick. Sickness absence reduced by 27 per cent Together with 59 other doctors who specialize in general medicine, they are now being introduced to a new conversation tool. – You become a bit more activated then, to find solutions, says Christina Svanstrøm, one of the doctors who recently attended a medical conference in Trondheim. Recent research shows that sickness absence dropped by as much as 27 per cent among patients with unexplained symptoms and ailments when using this technique. In the control group, where the participants did not use the conversation tool, absenteeism dropped by only 4 per cent. In the conversation with the doctor, the patient is encouraged to come up with solutions to the problems they are facing: Can a day with a home office get them to work? Can better lighting conditions at the workplace make the working day manageable? Or a new chair? – Often there can also be things in the working environment that the patient needs help to solve. The doctor and the patient then create a list of possibilities which is sent with the patient to the employer where there is a need for facilitation, explains Cathrine Abrahamsen. She is a GP in Nøtterøy and has developed the conversation tool that several doctors in the country are now using. Cathrine Abrahamsen is herself a GP and had the research that is part of her doctoral thesis published in the Lancet. Photo: Morten Andersen / news Searching for causes and solutions The findings were recently published by the renowned medical journal The Lancet. – What we found was that the patients had increased function, they had fewer symptoms and they had a better quality of life, says Abrahamasen, who is the main researcher behind the study, GP and doctoral candidate. Adresseavisen has also discussed the recent findings that were published earlier this month. If the patient is reported sick, this information is passed on in the sick report form to NAV, she explains. This week, 60 new doctors were introduced to the new conversation tool at the Nidaros Congress in Trondheim. Photo: Morten Andersen / news NAV is impressed In addition, the researcher discovered something surprising: – The patients returned to work much faster, says Abrahamsen. NAV will now look at how they can further use the conversation tool in their work. – The results are good, important and of high quality. We are both impressed by the research and interested in seeing how we can use this, says chief physician at NAV, Marit Hermansen Marit Hermansen at NAV is impressed by the research results. At the Gulset medical center in Skien, we meet GP Anniken Sommerfelt. She hasn’t heard much about the new conversation tool. Yet. – But it would have been exciting to see what it was. Absolutely, she says. Anniken Sommerfelt explains that she feels safe when she gives sick leave, but that at the start of her career she was more uncertain. She is open to testing the new tool. Photo: Veronica Westhrin / news
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Doctors learn how to reduce sickness absence – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
