Searching for Consensus Among Physicians Involved in the Management of Sick-listed Workers in the Belgian Health Care Sector: a Qualitative Study Among Practitioners and Stakeholders

Overview

Journal BMC Public Health

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Public Health

Date 2016 Feb 19

PMID 26888376

Citations 8

Authors

Marc Vanmeerbeek

Patrick Govers

Nathalie Schippers

Stephane Rieppi

Katrien Mortelmans

Philippe Mairiaux

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: In Belgium, the management of sick leave involves general practitioners (GPs), occupational health physicians (OPs) and social insurance physicians (SIPs). A dysfunctional relationship among these physicians can impede a patient's ability to return to work. The objective of this study was to identify ways to improve these physicians' mutual collaboration.

Methods: Two consensus techniques were successively performed among the three professional groups. Eight nominal groups (NGs) gathered 74 field practitioners, and a two-round Delphi process involved 32 stakeholders.

Results: From the results, it appears that two areas (reciprocal knowledge and evolution of the legal and regulatory framework) are objects of consensus among the three medical group that were surveyed. Information transfer, particularly electronic transfer, was stressed as an important way to improve. The consensual proposals regarding interdisciplinary collaboration indicate specific and practical changes to be implemented when professionals are managing workers who are on sick leave. The collaboration process appeared to be currently more problematic, but the participants correctly identified the need for common training.

Conclusions: The three physician groups all agree regarding several inter-physician collaboration proposals. The study also revealed a latent conflict situation among the analysed professionals that can arise from a lack of mutual recognition. Practical changes or improvements must be included in an extended framework that involves the different determinants of interdisciplinary collaboration that are shown by theoretical models. Collaboration is a product of the actions and behaviours of various partners, which requires reciprocal knowledge and trust; collaboration also implies political and economic structures that are led by public health authorities.

Citing Articles

Barriers and Facilitators for Interprofessional Education in Work-Focused Healthcare: An Integrative Review.

Zwaan E, Zipfel N, Kuijer-Siebelink W, Oomens S, van der Burg-Vermeulen S J Occup Rehabil. 2025; .

PMID: 39988638 DOI: 10.1007/s10926-025-10278-3.

Recognition at the Heart of the Complex Situations Experienced by People With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain.

Jessica M, Aurelie B, Fabian D, Quentin V, Lea D, Marco S Health Expect. 2024; 28(1).

PMID: 39737654 PMC: 11683188. DOI: 10.1111/hex.70129.

Quality of Life of Colorectal Cancer Survivors: Mapping the Key Indicators by Expert Consensus and Measures for Their Assessment.

Smrke U, Abalde-Cela S, Loly C, Calbimonte J, Pires L, Lin S Healthcare (Basel). 2024; 12(12).

PMID: 38921349 PMC: 11203183. DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12121235.

Cooperation between Public Primary Health Care and Occupational Health Care Professionals in Work Ability-Related Health Issues.

Vahatalo L, Siukola A, Atkins S, Reho T, Sumanen M, Viljamaa M Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022; 19(19).

PMID: 36231222 PMC: 9564539. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191911916.

Primary Care Physicians' Learning Needs in Returning Ill or Injured Workers to Work. A Scoping Review.

Furlan A, Harbin S, Vieira F, Irvin E, Severin C, Nowrouzi-Kia B J Occup Rehabil. 2022; 32(4):591-619.

PMID: 35511378 DOI: 10.1007/s10926-022-10043-w.

References

Schwarz B, Neuderth S, Gutenbrunner C, Bethge M . Multiprofessional teamwork in work-related medical rehabilitation for patients with chronic musculoskeletal disorders. J Rehabil Med. 2014; 47(1):58-65. DOI: 10.2340/16501977-1893. View

Rudin R, Motala A, Goldzweig C, Shekelle P . Usage and effect of health information exchange: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 2014; 161(11):803-11. DOI: 10.7326/M14-0877. View

Kierkegaard P, Kaushal R, Vest J . How could health information exchange better meet the needs of care practitioners?. Appl Clin Inform. 2015; 5(4):861-77. PMC: 4287667. DOI: 10.4338/ACI-2014-06-RA-0055. View

Yassi A, Ostry A, Spiegel J, Walsh G, de Boer H . A collaborative evidence-based approach to making healthcare a healthier place to work. Hosp Q. 2002; 5(3):70-8. DOI: 10.12927/hcq.2002.16759. View

Anema J, Van Der Giezen A, Buijs P, van Mechelen W . Ineffective disability management by doctors is an obstacle for return-to-work: a cohort study on low back pain patients sicklisted for 3-4 months. Occup Environ Med. 2002; 59(11):729-33. PMC: 1740234. DOI: 10.1136/oem.59.11.729. View

Cashman S, Reidy P, Cody K, Lemay C . Developing and measuring progress toward collaborative, integrated, interdisciplinary health care teams. J Interprof Care. 2004; 18(2):183-96. DOI: 10.1080/13561820410001686936. View

Van de Ven A, Delbecq A . The nominal group as a research instrument for exploratory health studies. Am J Public Health. 1972; 62(3):337-42. PMC: 1530096. DOI: 10.2105/ajph.62.3.337. View

Fink A, Kosecoff J, Chassin M, Brook R . Consensus methods: characteristics and guidelines for use. Am J Public Health. 1984; 74(9):979-83. PMC: 1651783. DOI: 10.2105/ajph.74.9.979. View

Schofield R, Amodeo M . Interdisciplinary teams in health care and human services settings: are they effective?. Health Soc Work. 1999; 24(3):210-9. DOI: 10.1093/hsw/24.3.210. View

10.

San Martin-Rodriguez L, Beaulieu M, DAmour D, Ferrada-Videla M . The determinants of successful collaboration: a review of theoretical and empirical studies. J Interprof Care. 2005; 19 Suppl 1:132-47. DOI: 10.1080/13561820500082677. View

11.

Farmer T, Robinson K, Elliott S, Eyles J . Developing and implementing a triangulation protocol for qualitative health research. Qual Health Res. 2006; 16(3):377-94. DOI: 10.1177/1049732305285708. View

12.

Mortelmans K, Donceel P, Lahaye D . Disability management through positive intervention in stakeholders' information asymmetry. A pilot study. Occup Med (Lond). 2006; 56(2):129-36. DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqj014. View

13.

Kadam U, Jordan K, Croft P . A comparison of two consensus methods for classifying morbidities in a single professional group showed the same outcomes. J Clin Epidemiol. 2006; 59(11):1169-73. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2006.02.016. View

14.

de Rijk A, van Raak A, van der Made J . A new theoretical model for cooperation in public health settings: the RDIC model. Qual Health Res. 2007; 17(8):1103-16. DOI: 10.1177/1049732307308236. View

15.

Xyrichis A, Lowton K . What fosters or prevents interprofessional teamworking in primary and community care? A literature review. Int J Nurs Stud. 2007; 45(1):140-53. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2007.01.015. View

16.

DAmour D, Goulet L, Labadie J, San Martin-Rodriguez L, Pineault R . A model and typology of collaboration between professionals in healthcare organizations. BMC Health Serv Res. 2008; 8:188. PMC: 2563002. DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-8-188. View

17.

Bridges D, Davidson R, Odegard P, Maki I, Tomkowiak J . Interprofessional collaboration: three best practice models of interprofessional education. Med Educ Online. 2011; 16. PMC: 3081249. DOI: 10.3402/meo.v16i0.6035. View

18.

Davies S, Romano P, Schmidt E, Schultz E, Geppert J, McDonald K . Assessment of a novel hybrid Delphi and Nominal Groups technique to evaluate quality indicators. Health Serv Res. 2011; 46(6pt1):2005-18. PMC: 3393032. DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2011.01297.x. View

19.

Storms H, Marquet K, Nelissen K, Hulshagen L, Lenie J, Remmen R . Implementing an electronic medication overview in Belgium. BMC Res Notes. 2014; 7:915. PMC: 4301824. DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-7-915. View