Clinical trial NCT02524392: Effect Evaluation of Independent Medical Evaluation (IME) in Norway
Official title: Effect Evaluation of Independent Medical Evaluation (IME) After Six Months Sick Leave: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Independent Medical Evaluation (IME) Versus Treatment as Usual in Norway
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: All International Classification of Primary Care 2 Diagnoses
Keywords: independent medical evaluation
sick leave
sickness absence
physician primary care
general practitioner
family physician
Lead sponsor: NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration
First posted: 2015-08-14
Enrollment: 7642
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 66
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Brief summary: A randomized controlled trial comparing independent medical evaluation (IME) to treatment as usual (TAU). Participants will be individuals reaching six months uninterrupted sickness absence. Treatment as usual (TAU) is normal follow-up by a general practitioner (GP).

Detailed description: A randomized controlled trial in a Norwegian context, involving an effect evaluation, a cost-benefit evaluation and a qualitative evaluation. Independent medical evaluation (IME) will be compared to treatment as usual (TAU). Independent medical evaluation (IME) will comprise a consultation with an independent general practitioner (IME GP) who will assess whether the sick listed worker has been given eligible and available opportunities in return to work follow-up in Norway. The independent medical evaluation general practitioner (IME GP) will write a short report that is sent to the treating general practitioner as input from a colleague. The report can be used in the follow-up of the sick listed participant. The participants in the treatment as usual (TAU) group will not receive any other follow-up than normal follow-up by the treating general practitioner. The qualitative evaluation will be conducted to gain insight into the experiences of the general practitioners and the participants.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Participants on sick leave with an International Classification of Primary Care-2 diagnosis will be recruited through the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration's (NAV) registries, when reaching 22 weeks of sick leave (full or graded).

Exclusion Criteria:

* People with International Classification of Disease-10 diagnoses, cancer or dementia.
* People who are pregnant.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in sick leave
timeFrame: Measured at three and eight weeks after randomization.
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Bergen
country: Norway
facility: Uni Research
Study officials:
affiliation: Uni Research Health
name: Silje Maeland, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Maeland S, Holmas TH, Oyeflaten I, Husabo E, Werner EL, Monstad K. What is the effect of independent medical evaluation on days on sickness benefits for long-term sick listed employees in Norway? A pragmatic randomised controlled trial, the NIME-trial. BMC Public Health. 2022 Feb 26;22(1):400. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-12800-1.
citation: Oyeflaten I, Maeland S, Haukenes I. Independent medical evaluation of general practitioners' follow-up of sick-listed patients: a cross-sectional study in Norway. BMJ Open. 2020 Mar 18;10(3):e032776. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032776.
citation: Aamland A, Husabo E, Maeland S. Independent medical evaluation for sick-listed patients: a focus group study of GPs expectations and experiences. BMC Health Serv Res. 2018 Aug 29;18(1):666. doi: 10.1186/s12913-018-3481-3.
citation: Husabo E, Monstad K, Holmas TH, Oyeflaten I, Werner EL, Maeland S. Protocol for the effect evaluation of independent medical evaluation after six months sick leave: a randomized controlled trial of independent medical evaluation versus treatment as usual in Norway. BMC Public Health. 2017 Jun 14;17(1):573. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4469-3.