Bent Håkan Lindberg

• Floriano, Fabiana Raynal; Vallejo-Torres, Laura; Elistratova, Marina; López-Valcárcel, Beatriz González; García-Sangenís, Ana & Lykkegaard, Jesper [Show all 31 contributors for this article] (2026). Estimating cost savings from reducing antibiotic overprescription in european general practices. European Journal of Health Economics. ISSN 1618-7598. doi: 10.1007/s10198-026-01899-3. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Antibiotic (ATB) overprescription leads to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and adverse events (AEs) and poses significant economic burdens on European healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to assess the economic impact associated with interventions aimed at reducing unnecessary ATB prescriptions in general practice, and to extrapolate the results at the European Union (EU) level. Methods: We used data from the “HAPPY PATIENT” project, a before-and-after study that implemented a multifaceted intervention in primary care settings in France, Greece, Lithuania, Poland, and Spain. Based on the outcomes observed in general practice across these five countries we extrapolated the results to estimate for each of the 27 EU member states: i) the costs of implementing the interventions, ii) the number of potentially unnecessary ATB prescriptions avoided, and iii) the potential savings due to reductions in unnecessary ATB prescriptions. We considered a realistic and an optimistic scenario: using the mean and the largest reduction in unnecessary ATB prescriptions observed across each of the five participating countries, respectively. Results: Across the EU, €2.7 billion are estimated to be spent annually on healthcare resources linked to potentially unnecessary ATB prescribed in general practice. Implementing the interventions across the EU is projected to cost €107 million. Positive net savings were estimated in both scenarios, €151 million in the realistic scenario and €423 million in the optimistic scenario. Several sensitivity analyses were conducted to characterise the substantial uncertainty surrounding these estimates, which yielded considerable potential savings in all cases.

• Christiansen, Ida Bergholdt Jul; Zoch-Lesniak, Beate; Lindberg, Bent; Björkman, Annica; Ramerman, Lotte & Payne, Rebecca [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2026). Telephone triage in urgent unscheduled primary care in 16 European countries: a cross-national questionnaire-based expert study. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care. ISSN 0281-3432. 44(1). doi: 10.1080/02813432.2025.2600632. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background Rising demand and workforce shortages challenge European healthcare systems. Unscheduled healthcare, including out-of-hours (OOH) primary care, is often managed through telephone triage. Improving triage quality is essential to maintain accessible and sustainable unscheduled care across Europe. Aim To describe the role and organization of telephone triage in OOH primary care services that provide care for patients with urgent unscheduled health problems. Design A cross-national questionnaire-based expert study. Methods We developed a web-based questionnaire that was distributed to members of a European research network on OOH primary care (EurOOHnet), aiming to have one informant per country. Questionnaire data were validated through email consultation with informants. Results Expert informants from 16 countries completed the survey. Most countries had general practice care, ambulance care, and emergency departments to provide urgent unscheduled care. Access routes to unscheduled care varied considerably between countries; 11 countries used telephone triage. Three triage models were identified: 1) Triage to care, 2) Advice and referral, and 3) Advice helplines. Self-advice tools, triage preparation tools, and chatbots were uncommon. Conclusion We identified three triage models that had different roles related to access to unscheduled care. Telephone triage is used frequently to fit demand to available resources.

• Llor, Carl; Hansen, Malene Plejdrup; Lykkegaard, Jesper & Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2025). Overdiagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia in primary care. Comparison across five European countries. Atención Primaria. ISSN 0212-6567. 57(12). doi: 10.1016/j.aprim.2025.103273. Full text in Research Archive
• Llor, Carl; Hansen, Malene Plejdrup; Lykkegaard, Jesper; Olsen, Jonas; Lindberg, Bent Håkan & Rebnord, Ingrid Keilegavlen [Show all 14 contributors for this article] (2025). Duration of antibiotic treatment for respiratory tract infections in primary care. JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance (JAC-AMR). 7(1). doi: 10.1093/jacamr/dlaf028. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Methods Consecutive patients presenting with RTI symptoms were prospectively included from general practices and out-of-hours services in France, Greece, Lithuania, Poland and Spain for two winter periods (February to April 2022 and 2023). Data were collected using a paper-based Audit Project Odense template, with clinicians recording patient age, gender, RTI diagnosis, type of antibiotic prescribed and treatment duration. Results A total of 196 doctors (133 in general practice and 63 in out-of-hours services) registered 11 270 cases, with 34.0% (3835) receiving antibiotics. The mean antibiotic course duration was 7.52 days (SD 2.11), which was significantly longer for pneumonia, COVID-19 infection and pharyngotonsillitis (8.01, 8.00 and 7.74 days, respectively), and lowest for predominantly viral infections, such as the common cold and flu infection, laryngitis and acute bronchitis (6.32, 6.48 and 6.98 days, respectively; P < 0.001). A total of 26.7% of the courses were prescribed for 10 days or longer. Conclusions Antibiotic courses for common RTIs are often prolonged, which does not align with current recommendations for course duration. Antibiotics should be avoided in cases of predominantly viral infections and most mixed infections; however, if deemed necessary, the courses should be substantially reduced to minimize unnecessary exposure.

• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; Blinkenberg, Jesper; Morken, Tone; Allertsen, Merete & Rebnord, Ingrid Keilegavlen (2025). Diagnostic equipment and point-of-care tests in Norwegian emergency primary healthcare clinics: a cross-sectional study. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care. ISSN 0281-3432. 43(4), p. 880–889. doi: 10.1080/02813432.2025.2519658. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Introduction In recent years, the increasing availability of instruments and laboratory tests has significantly influenced the diagnostic work in primary healthcare. This study aimed to map the availability of diagnostic equipment and point-of-care tests (POCTs) in Norwegian emergency primary healthcare clinics and examine the demographic and organisational factors influencing their availability. Methods This cross-sectional study utilised the National Out-of-Hours Services Registry (NOOHR) survey across all Norwegian emergency primary healthcare clinics in early 2024. Clinic managers provided data on diagnostic equipment and POCTs. Clinics were categorised by population size, hospital proximity, co-location with general practitioner (GP) offices, and total equipment available. Results All 167 Norwegian emergency primary healthcare clinics responded. The median number of diagnostic equipment and POCTs was 17 (Interquartile range (IQR) 16–20). Clinics with the most equipment were often smaller, co-located with a GP office, and over 40 km from a hospital. Almost all clinics had a repertoire of CRP, urinary dipstick, haemoglobin, glucose, strep A test, SARS-CoV-2 rapid test, urinary HCG test, pulse oximeter, and ECG. Clinics far from hospitals more frequently had tests like D-dimer and troponin. Of the clinics with troponin tests, 69% had a low-sensitive POCT. Conclusion Norwegian emergency primary healthcare clinics are well equipped, especially if co-located with a GP office or far from a hospital. Further research is needed to enlighten how availability influences use and the possible impact on patient trajectories. Clinic leaders should pave the way for sustainable practices and high-value care when deciding their diagnostic equipment and POCTs repertoire.

• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; López-Valcárcel, Beatriz González; Olsen, Jonas Kanstrup; Hansen, Malene Plejdrup; Lykkegaard, Jesper & Llor, Carl [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2025). Diagnosing acute lower respiratory tract infections in out-of-hours services during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Emergency Medicine. ISSN 1865-1372. 18. doi: 10.1186/s12245-025-00942-z. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) commonly lead people to seek out-of-hours primary care. Symptoms of lower respiratory tract infections overlap, and access to definite diagnostic tools is lacking in most out-of-hours settings. Distinguishing between different LRTIs is vital to ensure appropriate antibiotic prescribing. The study aimed to identify which clinical factors have guided out-of-hours physicians in distinguishing LRTIs in the late phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Out-of-hours physicians from France, Greece, Lithuania, Poland, and Spain registered pre-defined clinical information about all cases suspected of an RTI on an A4-paper Audit Project Odense chart from January to March 2022. Two multivariable logistic regressions were performed to analyse which clinical factors the physicians used to distinguish between pneumonia and other LRTIs. Results: A total of 1,222 cases of either pneumonia, acute bronchitis/bronchiolitis, common cold/influenza, or COVID-19 were registered by 86 participating physicians. Fever and cough were the most common symptoms reported. The pneumonia diagnosis was associated with abnormal lung auscultation (odds ratio (OR) 11.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.14–31.45), poor general condition (OR 5.96, CI 2.43–14.60), tachypnoea (OR 2.55, CI 1.38–4.73), and a combination of fever and cough (OR 11.10, CI 2.87–42.97). Conclusion: During the late COVID-19 pandemic, out-of-hours physicians’ registered information about the patients’ clinical condition, respiratory rate assessment, and lung auscultation evaluation were associated with diagnosing pneumonia, among other LRTIs.

• García-Sangenís, Ana; Lykkegaard, Jesper; Hansen, Malene Plejdrup; López-Valcárcel, Beatriz González; Raynal, Fabiana & Vallejo-Torres, Laura [Show all 30 contributors for this article] (2024). Impact of a multifaceted intervention programme on antibiotic prescribing and dispensing in four patient-centred settings in five European countries. The HAPPY PATIENT project. Family Practice. ISSN 0263-2136. 42(2). doi: 10.1093/fampra/cmae064. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background The primary cause of antimicrobial resistance is excessive and non-indicated antibiotic use. Aim To evaluate the impact of a multifaceted intervention aimed at various healthcare professionals (HCPs) on antibiotic prescribing and dispensing for common infections. Design and setting Before-and-after study set in general practice, out-of-hours services, nursing homes, and community pharmacies in France, Greece, Lithuania, Poland, and Spain. Methods Following the Audit Project Odense method, HCPs from these four settings self-registered encounters with patients related to antibiotic prescribing and dispensing before and after an intervention (February–April 2022 and February–April 2023). Prior to the second registration, the HCPs undertook a multifaceted intervention, which included reviewing and discussing feedback on the first registration’s results, enhancing communication skills, and providing communication tools. Indicators to identify potentially unnecessary prescriptions and non-first-line antibiotic choices were developed, and the results of the two registrations were compared. Results A total of 345 HCPs registered 10 744 infections in the first registration period and 10 207 infections in the second period. In general practice, participants showed a significant 9.8% reduction in unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions in the second period, whereas limited or no effect was observed in out-of-hours services and nursing homes (0.8% reduction and 4.5% increase, respectively). Pharmacies demonstrated an 18% increase in safety checks, and correct advice in pharmacies rose by 17%. Conclusion External factors like COVID-19, antibiotic shortages, and a streptococcal epidemic impacted the intervention’s benefits. Despite this, the intervention successfully improved antibiotic use in both settings.

• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; Rebnord, Ingrid Keilegavlen & Høye, Sigurd (2023). Effect of an educational intervention for telephone triage nurses on out-of-hours attendance: a pragmatic randomized controlled study. BMC Health Services Research. 23. doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-08994-0. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background Telephone triage has been established in many countries as a response to the challenge of non-urgent use of out-of-hours primary care services. However, limited evidence is available regarding the effect of training interventions on clinicians’ telephone consultation skills and patient outcomes. Methods This was a pragmatic randomized controlled educational intervention for telephone triage nurses in 59 Norwegian out-of-hours general practitioners’ (GPs) cooperatives, serving 59% of the Norwegian population. Computer-generated randomization was performed at the level of out-of-hours GP cooperatives, stratified by the population size. Thirty-two out-of-hours GP cooperatives were randomized to intervention. One cooperative did not accept the invitation to participate in the educational programme, leaving 31 cooperatives in the intervention group. The intervention comprised a 90-minute e-learning course and 90-minute group discussion about respiratory tract infections (RTIs), telephone communication skills and local practices. We aimed to assess the effect of the intervention on out-of-hours attendance and describe the distribution of RTIs between out-of-hours GP cooperatives and list-holding GPs. The outcome was the difference in the number of doctor’s consultations per 1000 inhabitants between the intervention and control groups during the winter months before and after the intervention. A negative binomial regression model was used for the statistical analyses. The model was adjusted for the number of nurses who had participated in the e-learning course, the population size and patients’ age groups, with the out-of-hours GP cooperatives defined as clusters. Results The regression showed that the intervention did not change the number of consultations for RTIs between the two groups of out-of-hours GP cooperatives (incidence rate ratio 0.99, 95% confidence interval 0.91–1.07). The winter season’s out-of-hours patient population was younger and had a higher proportion of RTIs than the patient population in the list-holding GP offices. Laryngitis, sore throat, and pneumonia were the most common diagnoses during the out-of-hours primary care service. Conclusions The intervention did not influence the out-of-hours attendance. This finding may be due to the intervention’s limited scope and the intention-to-treat design. Changing a population’s out-of-hours attendance is complicated and needs to be targeted at several organizational levels.

• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; Rebnord, Ingrid Keilegavlen & Høye, Sigurd (2021). Phone triage nurses’ assessment of respiratory tract infections–the tightrope walk between gatekeeping and service providing. A qualitative study. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care. ISSN 0281-3432. 39(2), p. 139–147. doi: 10.1080/02813432.2021.1908715. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Aim To measure change in service user involvement in secure mental health units, before and after the implementation of recovery-oriented practice. Design Quasi-experimental study pretest–posttest design with non-equivalent comparison groups. Methods Data were collected from May 2018 to December 2019 in four medium-/high-security units in Norway. Two intervention units that implemented recovery-oriented practice were compared with two comparison units that did not. Data were obtained using anonymous questionnaires at baseline and at 6-month follow-up. For intervention units, data were also obtained at a 12-month follow-up to measure sustainability of improvements over time. Twenty inpatients (‘patients’; intervention group: 10, comparison group: 10) and 141 members of frontline staff (‘service providers’; intervention group: 92, comparison group: 49) participated at baseline. Mann–Whitney U-tests and independent sample t-tests were applied at the group-level to analyse changes in mean scores in groups. Results Among patients in the intervention units, findings indicated no improvements after 6 months, but significant improvements after 12 months in terms of patients’ opportunities to participate in formulating their individual care plans, to influence decision-making about therapy and to receive information about complaint procedures. Opportunities to participate in discussions about medication and treatment regimens did not improve. After 6 months, service providers in the intervention units reported an increase in democratic patient involvement, patient collaboration and management support, but not in carer involvement and assisted patient involvement. The improvements in democratic patient involvement and management support were sustained over time. No changes were found in the comparison groups. Conclusion The patients and the service providers reported a higher degree of service user involvement after implementing recovery-oriented practice. Specific work is needed to ensure patients’ involvement in all domains.

• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; Gjelstad, Svein; Foshaug, Mats & Høye, Sigurd (2017). Antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections in Norwegian primary care out-of-hours service. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care. ISSN 0281-3432. 35(2), p. 178–185. doi: 10.1080/02813432.2017.1333301. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Purpose: To examine factors correlating with antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) in Norwegian primary care out-of-hours service. Materials and methods: Retrospective data analysis for the year 2014 in two out-of-hours primary care units located in the towns of Hamar and Tønsberg in Norway, analysing type and frequency of different antibiotics prescribed by 117 medical doctors for ARTIs, and factors correlating with these. Results: The 117 doctors in two out-of-hours units diagnosed 6757 cases of ARTIs. 2310 (34.2%) of these resulted in an antibiotic prescription, where of 1615 (69.9%) were penicillin V (PcV). Tonsillitis and sinusitis were the two ARTI diagnoses with the highest antibiotic prescription rate. The antibiotic prescription rate increased successively with increasing activity level, measured as shorter median duration of consultations per session, from 28.7% (reference) in the least busy quintile of sessions to 36.6% (OR: 1.38 (95% CI =1.06–1.80)) in the busiest quintile of sessions. Prescribing of broad-spectrum antibiotics was not correlated with median duration of consultations per session. Female doctors had an OR of 0.61 (0.40–0.92) of a broad-spectrum antibiotic prescription compared to their male colleagues. Conclusions: Antibiotic prescribing for ARTIs in the primary care out-of-hours services investigated is at the same level as in Norwegian general practice, but with a higher prescription rate of PcV. Antibiotic prescribing increases on busy sessions, measured as median duration of consultations per session. The work frame in primary care out-of-hours service might influence the quality of clinical decisions.

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• Morken, Tone; Blinkenberg, Jesper & Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2026). #53: Sepsis - den snikende faren - Legevaktpodden. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Sepsis – hva er symptomene og hvordan håndtere dette på legevakt? Bent Håkan Lindberg og Jesper Blinkenberg diskuterer temaet. De er redaktører for Legevakthåndboken, leger og forskere ved Nasjonalt kompetansesenter for legevaktmedisin (NKLM). Podkastvert: Tone Morken. Produsent: Nathalie Sandal 

• Morken, Tone; Blinkenberg, Jesper & Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2026). #52: Akutt koronarsyndrom - når hvert minutt teller - Legevaktpodden. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Akutt koronarsyndrom er en tilstand som Iegevakten bør være særlig oppmerksom på fordi det er alvorlig, og det haster å komme i gang med behandling. Få med deg flere viktige kliniske poeng om håndtering av STEMI og NSTEMI infarkt, hvorfor lav-sensitive troponiner ikke bør brukes på legevakt, og om bruk av fentanyl i stedet for morfin. Bent Håkan Lindberg og Jesper Blinkenberg diskuterer. De er redaktører for Legevakthåndboken, samt leger og forskere ved Nasjonalt kompetansesenter for legevaktmedisin (NKLM).    Podkastvert: Tone Morken. Produsent: Nathalie Sandal 

• Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2026). Rapid tests in respiratory tract infections: clinical reality, unintended consequences, and sustainability perspectives. Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan & Rebnord, Ingrid Keilegavlen (2026). HAPPY PATIENT – not so happy out of hours? A secondary analysis of the multifaceted intervention on antibiotic prescribing across five European countries. Full text in Research Archive
• Morken, Tone; Blinkenberg, Jesper & Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2026). #51: Hjerneslag - tid er hjerne - Legevaktpodden. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Hvordan oppdage og håndtere mistanke om hjerneslag hos pasient i kontakt med legevakten? Hør samtale mellom Bent Håkan Lindberg og Jesper Blinkenberg. De er redaktører for Legevakthåndboken, leger og forskere ved Nasjonalt kompetansesenter for legevaktmedisin (NKLM). De snakker blant annet om bruk av NIHSS, verktøyet eSTROKE, tidsrammen for trombektomi og om oppvåkningsslag. Podkastvert: Tone Morken. Produsent: Nathalie Sandal  

• Morken, Tone; Haugtomt, Sigrid & Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2026). #49: Diabeteskomplikasjon i forkledning - hva må legevakten være oppmerksom på? - Legevaktpodden. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Euglykemisk ketoacidose er en akuttmedisinsk tilstand og en kjent diabeteskomplikasjon. Hva bør legevaktpersonell være spesielt oppmerksomme på ved mistanke om en slik tilstand? Få tips fra to legevaktleger i denne episoden av Legevaktpodden fra Nasjonalt kompetansesenter for legevaktmedisin (NKLM). Kasuistikken i episoden er basert på en artikkel om euglykemisk ketoacidose i «Indremedisineren» og tilpasset legevakt. Sigrid Haugtomt er fastlege og legevaktlege. Bent Håkan Lindberg er forsker ved NKLM og legevaktlege. Podkastvert: Tone Morken. Produsent: Nathalie Sandal.

• Morken, Tone; Lindberg, Bent Håkan & Krogvold, Lars (2026). #48: Diabetisk katoacidose hos barn - Legevaktpodden. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Diabetisk ketoacidose er en tilstand som oppstår ved absolutt eller relativ insulinmangel. Hvordan  oppdage og håndtere mistanke om ketoacidose hos barn ved henvendelse til legevaktsentralen? Få tips i denne episoden av Legevaktpodden fra Nasjonalt kompetansesenter for legevaktmedisin (NKLM). Lars Krogvold er overlege på barneavdelingen ved Oslo universitetssykehus, forsker, og ekspert på diabetes. Bent Håkan Lindberg er legevaktlege og forsker ved NKLM. Podkastvert er Tone Morken.

• Morken, Tone; Lerberg, Marianne & Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2025). #39: Beredskap - Når ekstremværet rammer - Legevaktpodden. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Hallingdal ble hardt rammet av ekstremværet HANS i 2023. Hvordan klarte legevakten å løse sin beredskapsrolle, og hvordan kan legevakten være beredt for slike hendelser? Marianne Lerberg er legevaktsjef i Ål og har erfaringer med ekstremvær. Bent Håkan Lindberg, legevaktlege i Lyngen og forsker, har erfaring med ras. Hør disse samtale med Tone Morken fra Nasjonalt kompetansesenter for legevaktmedisin (NKLM). Teknisk produksjonsstøtte: Lisa Marie Haraldseide. Podkasten publiseres i samarbeid med Alrek Helseklynge.

• Morken, Tone; Blinkenberg, Jesper & Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2025). #43: Laboratorieutstyr – hva legevaktene har og bør ha - Legevaktpodden. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Diagnostisk utstyr og laboratorietester har blitt mer tilgjengelig i primærhelsetjenesten. Hvilke diagnostisk utstyr og hurtigtester har norske legevakter? Og hva bør legevakten ha? Legevaktlege og forsker Bent Håkan Lindberg og legevaktlege, forsker og leder for Nasjonalt kompetansesenter for legevaktmedisin (NKLM) Jesper Blinkenberg, har gjennomført en studie om dette sammen med kolleger. Hør disse i diskusjon med Tone Morken. Teknisk produksjonsstøtte: Lisa Marie Haraldseide. Podkasten publiseres i samarbeid med Alrek Helseklynge.

• Johannessen, Tonje Rambøll; Vallersnes, Odd Martin; Austad, Bjarne; Andrup, Simon Johan Mattias; Davidsen, Anne Herefoss & PRYTZ, MARTHE H. [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2025). Brystsmerter på legevakt: Bruk av høysensitiv troponin. Utposten. ISSN 0800-5680. 7/2025, p. 18–21. doi: https:/www.utposten.no/journal/2025/7. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Brystsmerter er en vanlig problemstilling på legevakt, og årsaken kan være alt fra panikkangst og interkostale myalgier til livstruende tilstander som akutt hjerteinfarkt. Det kan være krevende å være legevaktslege i denne diagnostiske spagaten, særlig hvis pasienten egentlig ikke er så klinisk dårlig og det ikke er EKG-forandringer. Mange velger å legge inn pasienten for sikkerhets skyld. Høysensitiv troponinmåling på legevakt kan bidra til at flere pasienter avklares med høy grad av sikkerhet i primærhelsetjenesten. Det vil bidra til sikrere diagnostikk og trygghet for legevaktslegen, bedre forløp for pasientene og mer tid til de alvorlig syke pasientene i akuttmottakene.

• Helmers, Ann-Kristin B. & Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2025). Oppdaterer håndbok for legevakt: – Blodsukker trenger ikke være forhøyet ved ketoacidose. [Journal]. Sykepleien. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  – Noen pasienter med symptomer på ketoacidose har opplevd å bli avvist på legevakt fordi blodsukkeret ikke har vært forhøyet. 

• Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2025). Bruk av hurtigtester ved diagnostikk av infeksjoner i primærhelsetjenesten. Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan & Hunskaar, Steinar (2025). Alvorlige infeksjoner hos voksne. Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; Skow, Marius & Høye, Sigurd (2025). Point-of-care white blood cell count – a tool for improved antibiotic prescribing? Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan & Fotland, Siri-Linn Schmidt (2025). Sykepleiere ved legevaktsentralen møter pasienter som forventer rask hjelp ved luftveisinfeksjoner. Sykepleien Forskning. ISSN 1890-2936. p. 101430–101430. doi: 10.4220/sykepleiens.2025.101430. Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2025). Diagnostic equipment and point-of-care tests in Norwegian emergency primary healthcare. Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; Solbakken, Erika & Høye, Sigurd (2025). Bruk-Spar-Reserve i skandinavisk primærhelsetjeneste. Tidsskrift for Den norske legeforening (Tidsskriftet). ISSN 0029-2001. doi: https:/tidsskriftet.no/2025/06/kommentar/bruk-spar-reserve-i-skandinavisk-primaerhelsetjeneste#comment-3511. Full text in Research Archive
• Morken, Tone; Lindberg, Bent Håkan & Rebnord, Ingrid Keilegavlen (2024). #20: Antibiotikabruk på legevakt - Legevaktpodden. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Blir det gitt unødig antibiotika på legevakt? Eller er vi på riktig nivå i Norge når det gjelder bruk av antibiotika? Tone Morken fra Nasjonalt kompetansesenter for legevaktmedisin (NKLM) snakker med legevaktlege/ forsker Bent Håkan Lindberg og fastlege/forsker Ingrid Rebnord. Teknisk produksjonsstøtte: Lisa Marie Haraldseide. Podkasten publiseres i samarbeid med Alrek Helseklynge.

• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; Fotland, Siri-Linn Schmidt & Morken, Tone (2023). #11: Luftveisinfeksjoner. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  En episode om hvordan legevakten kan sikre god behandling av pasienter med luftveisinfeksjoner.

• Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2023). Bruk av legevakt ved luftveisinfeksjoner. Full text in Research Archive
• Rebnord, Ingrid Keilegavlen & Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2023). HAPPY PATIENT - The Health Alliance for Prudent Prescription and Yield of Antibiotics from a patient-centered perspective, a study in out-of-hours services. Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; Rebnord, Ingrid Keilegavlen & Høye, Sigurd (2022). Legevaktsykepleier – portvakt eller serviceyter? Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; Rebnord, Ingrid Keilegavlen & Høye, Sigurd (2022). Can an educational intervention for telephone triage nurses influence the number of RTI-patients in out-of-hours services? Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; Rebnord, Ingrid Keilegavlen & Høye, Sigurd (2022). Can telephone triage nurses influence a population’s out-of-hours attendance? A biangular approach. Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; Rebnord, Ingrid Keilegavlen & Høye, Sigurd (2022). Changing a population’s health seeking behaviour out-of-hours – a task for telephone triage nurses? Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2021). Kan sykepleiere på legevakt påvirke om pasienter får antibiotika? [Journal]. Sykepleien. Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; Rebnord, Ingrid Keilegavlen & Høye, Sigurd (2021). Assessing respiratory tract infections out-of-hours - the tightrope walks of phone triage nurses. A qualitative study. Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2019). Effekt av et klinisk opplæringsprogram om luftveisinfeksjoner for legevaktsykepleiere. Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; Rebnord, Ingrid Keilegavlen & Høye, Sigurd (2018). Effect of a Clinical Training Program on Respiratory Tract Infections for Phone Triage Nurses in Out-of-hours Primary Care Centres. Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan; Gjelstad, Svein; Foshaug, Mats & Høye, Sigurd (2017). Antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections in Norwegian primary care out-of-hours service. Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan & Høye, Sigurd (2016). Antibiotika-forskrivning ved akutte luftveisinfeksjoner på interkommunal legevakt. Full text in Research Archive
• Lindberg, Bent Håkan (2023). Use of out-of-hours services for respiratory tract infections. Universitetet i Oslo. ISSN 9788234802355. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The thesis aimed to explore how respiratory tract infections are assessed and handled in out-of-hours clinics by telephone triage nurses and doctors and to assess the effect of an educational intervention for telephone triage nurses. Data from medical records, focus group interviews and electronic compensation claims were used. Antibiotic prescribing increased during busy sessions in out-of-hours clinics, and 34 % of all patients with respiratory tract infections were treated with antibiotics despite these conditions’ non-urgent and self-limiting nature. The study found that telephone triage nurses are ambivalent gatekeepers to out-of-hours clinics. They prefer the term service provider to describe their role. The nurses search for consensus with callers through negotiations and strategies and perceive that triage scales are inferior to their clinical skills when assessing callers with respiratory tract infections. Telephone triage nurses describe how structural factors, like the doctors’ fee-for-service plan, largely determine how the population use the out-of-hours clinics. The educational intervention did not influence the number of consultations for respiratory tract infections in out-of-hours clinics. The proportion of respiratory tract infections diagnosed out-of-hours during three winter months was 22.4 %, corresponding to 13.7 % for list-holding GPs. Doctors in out-of-hours clinics need working conditions that facilitate appropriate antibiotic prescribing, such as fixed salaries. Municipalities should consider fixed salaries for all their doctors. Telephone triage nurses must have clinical skills, triage scales, and enough time to assess callers with respiratory tract infections. Leaders of out-of-hours GP cooperatives should facilitate discussions between the local nurses and doctors, aiming for common attitudes and practices on handling respiratory tract infections within their entities.

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