Country Correspondent: Roosa Tikkanen
Sweden has passed a law that will shift the responsibility of managing high rates of absenteeism from employers to the primary care sector. Starting in 2019, primary care practices will be mandated by law to have rehabilitation coordinators, who will be responsible for creating reentry plans for individuals returning to work after a lengthy sick leave. In a recent opinion article in a medical journal (Läkartidningen), the medical community criticized the new law, raising concerns over the lack of evidence to support the effectiveness of rehabilitation coordinators in reducing absenteeism. The medical community also felt that they were not adequately consulted in drafting the new law and were concerned over the lack of clarity dividing responsibilities between rehabilitation coordinators and primary care doctors.
