In Norway, this is a specialist who performs some clinical procedures, coordinates the work of offices, helps patients navigate the system, and relieves doctors of administrative burdens. This was the topic of Ukraine's first webinar on the medical secretary profession, organised by ZDOROVI.

The keynote speaker was Gro Buttingsrud, a member of the National Council of the Norwegian Medical Secretaries' Union, a member of the municipal council in Asker, and a representative of the liberal party Venstre. She talked about how the profession was formed, what role it plays in the healthcare system, and what skills are needed to work effectively.

In Norway, medical secretaries have official recognition, educational standards, a system of professional development, and even their own trade union. This profession emerged in the 1960s as a response to a shortage of doctors and has gradually become an integral part of effective primary care. Today, they do more than just ‘keep records’ – they manage the office from the moment a patient is registered to the moment the results are sent to the doctor. This allows doctors to devote more time to diagnosis and treatment, and patients receive faster and better care.

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«We are used to thinking big, but often the solution lies close at hand – in the correct distribution of roles. The profession of medical secretary can be one of the most effective ways to improve the quality of care without increasing the workload on doctors. We believe that introducing Ukrainian medical professionals to the Norwegian experience is the first step towards rethinking approaches in our system. We do not copy other people's models, but we can learn from those who have already created effective teamwork in medicine»,  emphasised Natalia Tulinova, founder and CEO of ZDOROVI.

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Currently, the organisation is focused on education. ZDOROVI plans to continue a series of similar events that will familiarise Ukrainian medical professionals with international practices of work organisation and personnel management in the healthcare system.

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The uniqueness of this webinar lies not only in its topic, which has not yet been addressed in Ukraine, but also in its format: an open professional dialogue between Ukrainian medical professionals and their colleagues from Europe. This is the first step towards forming a new culture of interaction in medicine, where doctors focus on patients and the rest of the processes are controlled by a trained team.

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