Background
Aim
Participants and settings
Sample
Focus group | Gender | Profession | Number of years in the profession |
---|---|---|---|
1 and 2 | Woman | Physiotherapist (PT) /Rehabilitation coordinator (RC) | PT 27/RC 4 |
1 | Woman | General practitioner | 10 |
1 | Man | Resident physician in family medicine | 15 |
1 | Man | Resident physician in family medicine | 5 |
1 | Woman | District nurse | 13 |
1 | Woman | District nurse | 24 |
2 | Woman | District nurse | 18 |
2 | Woman | General practitioner | 12 |
2 | Woman | General practitioner | 41 |
2 | Woman | General practitioner | 13 |
2 | Woman | Psychologist | 13 |
Data collection
Qualitative data
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Can you tell us about the experience of working with sick leave teams?
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Can you tell us how your roles have changed by the new way of working?
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Can you discuss how it has affected the work environment?
Quantitative data
Data processing
Qualitative data
Quantitative data
Results
Qualitative results
Theme | Satisfaction and pride in the teamwork | ||
---|---|---|---|
Categories | Working environment | Clear roles | In-depth competence |
Subcategories | Bold leadership with a clear structure and organization | Responsibility and mandate provide security in their professional roles | In-depth learning and development individually and in groups |
Job satisfaction, well-being and predictability | Trust and respect for each other's competence | Increased professionalism within the team and in patient meetings | |
Increased collaboration and improved communication | Better resource utilization | Make visible the need for supervision and competence development | |
Reduced stress and frustration | Ambivalence to change |
Working environment
“I think that a health center based on firm relationships has gained a lot. The patients and the staff feel secure: everyone knows each other.” (Inf 11)
“For those of us who had not previously been part of the sick leave team, it has provided relief in our daily routines eliminating interruptions of our half-hour sessions amidst everything else.” (Inf 3)
“I personally think that greater collaboration makes me feel less lonely than when we first started with this work. It’s a boost to my work environment, absolutely.” (Inf 1)
“I don’t see …. the difficulties with the SSIA. We’re fortunate to work steadily with three of the same administrators.” (Inf 2)
"Now I think there’s a big difference when you can just hand over the matter to our RC. I think it makes telephone counseling a lot easier. Because previously the matter would remain unresolved until some physician felt they could take over.” (Inf 7)
Clear roles and in-depth skills
"… That's probably how you would want care to be." (Inf 2)
“We have grown considerably in our roles through that way of working. Previously, we had little contact. We didn’t know each other even though we had worked together for 4–5 years. Now, as a result, it’s become more open.” (Inf 5)
"Yes, you know what to tell them: that you have an idea, a plan for them as soon as they register. They are no longer given an acute appointment, put on two weeks sick leave and then just return for an acute appointment with a new physician and so on." (Inf 9)
“I also experience a greater certainty now. Already the first time you meet a patient, you know that… no, this one needs longer full-time sick leave, and for this one I can construct a plan." (Inf 2)
"It´s a huge advantage to have such a team: having competent, experienced people, who could act as consultants." (Inf 8)
"In a way, it felt a bit like you might be standing on the sidelines and watching because of limited sick leave decision experience, thus losing competence.” (Inf 6)
"It is above all the patients in the worst condition. One is terrified that something serious will happen." (Inf 4)
Quantitative results
18 months before project start March, 2016 (n = 200) | 18 months before project end Aug, 2017 (n = 181) | Project start Sept, 2017 (n = 204) | 3-month follow-up Dec, 2017 (n = 186) | 6-month follow-up March, 2018 (n = 194) | 12-month follow-up Sept, 2018 (n = 191) | Project end Feb, 2019 (n = 191) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sick leave duration | |||||||
1 – 90 days | 80 (40%) | 81 (45%) | 103 (51%) | 82 (44%) | 100 (52%) | 83 (43%) | 91 (48%) |
91—180 days | 34 (17%) | 19 (10%) | 18 (9%) | 29 (16%) | 20 (10%) | 30 (16%) | 28 (15%) |
181—365 days | 34 (17%) | 29 (16%) | 27 (13%) | 21 (11%) | 26 (13%) | 29 (15%) | 28 (15%) |
> 365 days | 52 (26%) | 52 (29%) | 56 (27%) | 54 (29%) | 48 (25%) | 49 (26%) | 44 (23%) |
Sick leave grade | |||||||
25% | 17 (9%) | 14 (8%) | 12 (6%) | 17 (9%) | 12 (6%) | 17 (9%) | 23 (12%) |
50% | 44(22%) | 25 (14%) | 32 (16%) | 33 (18%) | 31 (16%) | 33 (17%) | 27 (14%) |
75% | 13 (6%) | 9 (5%) | 6 (3%) | 6 (3%) | 4 (2%) | 12 (6%) | 13 (7%) |
100% | 126 (63%) | 133 (73%) | 154 (75%) | 130 (70%) | 147 (76%) | 129 (68%) | 128 (67%) |
18-months before project start March, 2016 | 18-months before project end Aug, 2017 | Project start Sept, 2017 | 3-month follow-up Dec, 2017 | 6-month follow-up March, 2018 | 12-month follow-up Sept, 2018 | Project end Feb, 2019 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total number of people on sick leave (women % (n/n)) | 125/200 (63%) | 119/181 (66%) | 136/204 (67%) | 127/186 (68%) | 136/194 (70%) | 129/191 (68%) | 130/191 (68) |
Sick leave duration (women % (n/n)) | |||||||
1 – 90 days | 49/80 (61%) | 50/81 (62%) | 70/103 (68%) | 55/82 (67%) | 68/100 (68%) | 56/83 (67%) | 60/91 (66%) |
91—180 days | 21/34 (62%) | 14/19 (74%) | 11/18 (61%) | 22/29 (76%) | 16/20 (80%) | 20/30 (67%) | 18/28 (64%) |
181—365 days | 23/34 (68%) | 21/29 (72%) | 18/27 (67%) | 15/21 (74%) | 18/26 (69%) | 16/29 (55%) | 18/28 (64%) |
> 365 days | 32/52 (62%) | 34/52 (65%) | 37/56 (66%) | 35/54 (65%) | 34/48 (71%) | 37/49 (76%) | 34/44 (77%) |
Sick leave grade women % (n/n) | |||||||
25% | 14/17 (82%) | 9/14 (64%) | 8/12 (67%) | 12/17 (71%) | 6/12 (50%) | 13/17 (76%) | 18/23 (78%) |
50% | 33/44(75%) | 14/25 (56%) | 16/32 (50%) | 20/33 (61%) | 21/31 (68%) | 22/33 (67%) | 15/27 (56%) |
75% | 9/13 (69%) | 6/9 (67%) | 5/6 (83%) | 6/6 (100%) | 4/4 (100%) | 10/12 (83%) | 9/13 (69%) |
100% | 69/126 (55%) | 90/133 (68%) | 107/154 (69%) | 89/130 (72%) | 105/147 (71%) | 84/129 (65%) | 88/128 (69%) |