Research project PE/ES/01 (Research action PE)
Providing medical certificates is a medical task, often repeated several times a day by a family doctor. Of all the tasks performed by the family doctor, this is the one which, via its consequences, costs the community most.
Evaluating disability requires of the family doctor a responsible attitude, so that he/she can judge the patient's health problem in relation to the requirements of the patient's work.
The aim of the study is to get a clearer picture of the provision of medical certificates by family doctors in Belgium, by making an inventory of the factors that contribute to granting or refusing sickness leave and determining its length. Another focus is the level of absenteeism due to illness in Belgium as compared to neighbouring countries.
The social and economic consequences of the provision of medical certificates are examined by calculating their financial costs for patients, employers, and the community. Both the economic aspects and the health aspects linked with sickness leave are taken into account. This study should thus provide political decision-makers with all the instruments necessary for making decisions concerning the search for alternatives to sickness leave.
