The studies that the National Board of Health and Welfare relies on are, the doctors claim in DN debate, poorly substantiated and the guidelines are therefore as effective and meaningful as New Year's resolutions. And they are very time-consuming and expensive.
"New Year's resolutions are at least free", they note and point out that the National Board of Health and Welfare itself estimates that it will cost over 800 million kronor for primary care to follow just part of the advice on healthcare for "unhealthy lifestyles", such as giving advice on alcohol, tobacco, diet, and exercise.
The groups that the National Board of Health and Welfare wants the counseling to be directed towards are the majority of all patients, they emphasize, and highlight that an average visit to primary care takes 20 minutes. And the National Board of Health and Welfare seems to think that a large part of that time should be spent on talking about lifestyles, not about what the patient is seeking care for.
"Seriously ill, frail, and elderly patients will be pushed aside if healthcare is to spend more time on younger and healthier people's lifestyles", write the ten representatives of the Council for Sustainable Diagnostics and Treatment, within the Swedish Association for General Medicine.
