Duties performed by occupational physicians in Norway

Area of Science:

• Occupational Medicine
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Global aim for universal occupational health care remains unmet.
• Understanding diverse occupational health service (OHS) models is crucial for development.
• Limited research exists on varying OHS models and physician roles within them.

Purpose of the Study:

• To delineate the duties of Norwegian physicians within two distinct OHS models: internal and external.
• To compare physician responsibilities in OHS settings embedded within a company versus those serving multiple companies externally.

Main Methods:

• A web-based survey was distributed to all members of the Norwegian Occupational Medicine Association.
• Data analysis focused on responses from physicians actively working in OHS roles.

Main Results:

• A response rate of 73% (206 responses) was achieved, with 54% of respondents being OHS physicians.
• Physicians in external OHS models performed individual health examinations more frequently.
• Few significant differences in other duties were observed between internal and external OHS physicians.
• Physician duty priorities over 20 years appear linked to legislative and guideline changes.

Conclusions:

• OHS physicians in Norway, particularly in external models, conduct a high volume of individual health examinations.
• Core physician duties demonstrate comparable prioritization across both internal and external OHS models.
• Legislation and official guidelines significantly shape the nature and priority of OHS physician duties.