A Naturalistic Trial of the Norwegian Sickness Absence Clinic. The NSAC Efficacy Study

NSAC is an outpatient service delivered under the auspices of the specialist health care sector to patients currently on sick leave or at risk for long-term sickness absence. The service is staffed by medical doctors specialising in muskuloskeletal health, physiotherapists, psychologists and welfare sector counsellors, and aims to provide patients with a multi-diciplinary clarification or treatment of problems with the intent of improved function and return to work. Clinicians are provided survey information on the patients potential health problems, motivation for work, barriers for return to work and work environment prior to consultation. In this intervention arm, patients are offered treatment within 4 weeks of referral.

NSAC is an outpatient service delivered under the auspices of the specialist health care sector to patients currently on sick leave or at risk for long-term sickness absence. The service is staffed by medical doctors specialising in muskuloskeletal health, physiotherapists, psychologists and welfare sector counsellors, and aims to provide patients with a multi-diciplinary clarification or treatment of problems with the intent of improved function and return to work. Clinicians are provided survey information on the patients potential health problems, motivation for work, barriers for return to work and work environment prior to consultation. In this intervention arm, patients are offered treatment at 10-14 weeks after referral.

The active control intervention is provided by the NSAC personnel, but patients are offered a single monodisciplinary examination close to the end of the diagnosis-specific deadline suggested in guidelines, which will vary between 8-26 weeks. Employment counsellors may not be involved in consultations, other cross-disciplinary consultations are restricted, and work-related factors are not to be focused on during examination. Clinicians are provided survey information only on the patient's potential health problems prior to consultation. Patients are provided a health-focused examination, with the aim of symptom-relief.