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No longer alone : Primary care physicians’ experiences of the rehabilitation coordinator

Sällström Randsalu, Lottie and Stigmar, Kjerstin LU (2025) In Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care 43(3). p.602-612
Abstract

Background and Purpose: Absence from work due to illness is common in many western countries and has many negative consequences for both the individual and society. Since 2020 Swedish healthcare regions are required to provide resources to coordinate the rehabilitation process, a complex system involving medical as well as work-related parties, where both the physician and the rehabilitation coordinator play a central role. The aim of this study was to describe how primary care physicians experience the role of and the collaboration with a rehabilitation coordinator Materials and methods: We used a qualitative design doing semi-structured interviews with primary care physicians (n= 9) in the Skåne healthcare region. The interviews were... (More)

Background and Purpose: Absence from work due to illness is common in many western countries and has many negative consequences for both the individual and society. Since 2020 Swedish healthcare regions are required to provide resources to coordinate the rehabilitation process, a complex system involving medical as well as work-related parties, where both the physician and the rehabilitation coordinator play a central role. The aim of this study was to describe how primary care physicians experience the role of and the collaboration with a rehabilitation coordinator Materials and methods: We used a qualitative design doing semi-structured interviews with primary care physicians (n= 9) in the Skåne healthcare region. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: One main category “An external and internal connecting point that has improved the sick-listing and rehabilitation process”, and four subcategories: “Provides relief for the individual physician”; “Offers practical support at the clinic”; “Gives increased sense of security for the patients” and “Sufficiently trained, with potential to take further responsibility”, were determined. Conclusions: The study shows that primary care physicians experienced benefits from a close collaboration with a rehabilitation coordinator, feeling less lonely. The rehabilitation coordinator is often regarded as having a central role in insurance medicine related tasks, but an even more active role is desired.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
insurance medicine, primary healthcare, Rehabilitation coordinator, rehabilitation process, sick leave
in
Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care
volume
43
issue
3
pages
11 pages
publisher
Informa Healthcare
external identifiers
  • scopus:105002567528
  • pmid:40183587
ISSN
0281-3432
DOI
10.1080/02813432.2025.2486145
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
859fd7b5-7254-426f-9d3c-0e27b5328e93
date added to LUP
2025-09-01 12:21:35
date last changed
2025-09-01 13:12:49
@article{859fd7b5-7254-426f-9d3c-0e27b5328e93,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background and Purpose: Absence from work due to illness is common in many western countries and has many negative consequences for both the individual and society. Since 2020 Swedish healthcare regions are required to provide resources to coordinate the rehabilitation process, a complex system involving medical as well as work-related parties, where both the physician and the rehabilitation coordinator play a central role. The aim of this study was to describe how primary care physicians experience the role of and the collaboration with a rehabilitation coordinator Materials and methods: We used a qualitative design doing semi-structured interviews with primary care physicians (n= 9) in the Skåne healthcare region. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: One main category “An external and internal connecting point that has improved the sick-listing and rehabilitation process”, and four subcategories: “Provides relief for the individual physician”; “Offers practical support at the clinic”; “Gives increased sense of security for the patients” and “Sufficiently trained, with potential to take further responsibility”, were determined. Conclusions: The study shows that primary care physicians experienced benefits from a close collaboration with a rehabilitation coordinator, feeling less lonely. The rehabilitation coordinator is often regarded as having a central role in insurance medicine related tasks, but an even more active role is desired.</p>}},
  author       = {{Sällström Randsalu, Lottie and Stigmar, Kjerstin}},
  issn         = {{0281-3432}},
  keywords     = {{insurance medicine; primary healthcare; Rehabilitation coordinator; rehabilitation process; sick leave}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{602--612}},
  publisher    = {{Informa Healthcare}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care}},
  title        = {{No longer alone : Primary care physicians’ experiences of the rehabilitation coordinator}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02813432.2025.2486145}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/02813432.2025.2486145}},
  volume       = {{43}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}