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Table 3 Summary of the two GPs’ practice profiles for managing sick leave

From: How do general practitioners contribute to preventing long-term work disability of their patients suffering from depressive disorders? A qualitative study

Dimensions

Practice profile 1

Practice profile 2

Assessment of the Contribution of Work Stressors to Work Disability

 How work environment stressors are taken into account in a decision to authorize sick leave

Work stressors seen as exceeding the patient’s current adaptive capacity, but as possibly diminishing over the short term

Work stressors seen as having an adverse effect on the patient’s health

- Give sick leave to remove the patient from the adverse effect of the stressors

- Postpone the decision

- Give short-term sick leave

Sense-giving regarding Sick Leave and RTW

 Meaning of sick leave as explained to the patient

Sick leave is part of the treatment and of limited duration

Time to rest

 Message passed on early about the RTW

RTW presented at beginning of sick leave (i) as part of the treatment and (ii) as inevitable

No specific message

 Messages about the RTW passed on during follow-up

RTW helps wind up the recovery

Complete severing of contact with the workplace is preferable

Need to contact co-workers or the supervisor to reduce apprehensions about RTW

Planning of Steps towards RTW

 How the work environment is taken into account during preparation of the RTW

Patient asked to contact his/her supervisor to discuss a realistic RTW plan

Drafting of the RTW plan, taking into account the employer’s constraints, as understood by the patient

Specialized occupational rehabilitation resources recommended if the stressors are significant and persistent

No particular action to proactively mobilize specialized occupational rehabilitation resources