Sustainability in general practice is a project from the Norwegian college of general practice aiming reduce overdiagnosis, overtreatment and overuse of resources in the Norwegian healthcare system
PROJECT GOAL
To enhance health literacy in the population by providing clear information about the role of general practitioners (GPs). This includes how GPs work, their responsibility in coordinating access to specialized care, and their crucial role as gatekeepers in the healthcare system.
We also aim to raise awareness about the risks of overdiagnosis and overtreatment that can can cause harm to individual patients and undermine the sustainability of the public healthcare system.
BACKGROUND
The national healthcare system, that is publicly funded and based the principle of equity and solidarity, is under pressure due to inefficient resource use.
The demand for services keeps increasing. Patients and their families often feel that their expectations are not being met, while healthcare professionals face growing workloads and a sense of disillusionment.
The gatekeeping role of GPs has been significantly weakened. Many people are unaware of how GPs work to provide high-quality, appropriate care, and there is little awareness of overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
SPECIAL CHALLENGES FOR IMMIGRANTS
Immigrants risk experiencing a mismatch between their expectations and the services provided by the healthcare system in Norway. Immigrants coming from countries where privileged parts of the population have immediate access to specialized healthcare services may be confused by the pivotal role played by GPs in Norway.
The GP Natalia Baisuk Thune runs a Facebook-group in Ukrainian with information about the organization of the Norwegian healthcare services. This group has more than 4000 followers, see here.
In the future, we intend to develop similar information targeting the needs of immigrants from different parts of the world, explaining crucial features of how healthare is provided in Norway. Healthcare personel and others with immigrant background who might be able to contribute, are encouraged to contact us at nfa@legeforeningen.no