2017 and 2018

 In recognition of the high standard of papers submitted to the Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care, the editorial board in collaboration with the Nordic Congress of General Practice announced the two winners of the Paper of the Year award 2017 and 2018 at the opening ceremony at the Nordic Congress for General Practice in Aalborg, June 2019. The winning authors were celebrated and given the opportunity to present their findings as well.

The panel who makes the selection consists of Nordic professors of General Practice. In 2019, the panel members were Mette Brekke from Norway, Päivi Korhonen from Finland, Jakob Kragstrup from Denmark, Patrik Midlöv from Sweden and Margret Olafia Tomasdottir from Iceland.

2017: Stein Nilsen and Professor Kirsti Malterud from Norway
What happens when the doctor denies a patient’s request? A qualitative interview study among general practitioners in Norway
Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care, 2017; 35: 201-207

The study was based on individual interviews with six GPs in Norway regarding cases where they denied a patient’s request. The interviews found that when the cases lead to disputes, the doctors often regretted their handling of the consultation and in some cases long and close patient–doctor relationships were injured/came to an end.
The study concludes that the price for denying a patient’s request may be very high, and GPs find themselves uncomfortable in such encounters. Furthermore, the notion that doctors have a professional commitment to his or her own autonomy and to society should be restored, through increased emphasis on core professional ethics in medical education.

The professor panel commented: Innovative study. Very relevant subject to GPs but also to other physicians. Well written.

2018: Laura Trolle Saust, Lars Bjerrum, Volkert Siersma, Magnus Arpi and Malene Plejdrup Hansen from Denmark
Quality assessment in general practice: diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections
Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care, 2018; 36:372-379

This study investigated the need of quality improvement within the diagnostic process and antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in Danish general practice. This was done by registering data about patients with systems of an RTI through a 4-week period in the winter of 2017.
The study found that there is an overuse of antibiotics for RTIs in Danish general practice, especially for the treatment of acute rhinosinusitis and acute bronchitis and it concludes that it is important to focus on both the diagnostic process and the prescribing patterns when looking at improving the antibiotic prescription in general practice.

The professor panel commented: Very relevant topic due to problems with antimicrobial resistance. Interesting findings. This should definitely be of interest to all in general practice research.