Drs spend 4 times more on paperwork than patients | UK | News
In a new national study, the resident doctors in NHS spend four times more on documents than patients.
The study, called Tach work and conducted by scientists in the Imperial College in London, is the first example of its species in the UK. For training, it indicates that more than 18% of their time and more than 70% of their time with patients do administrative works such as writing, chaseing test results, and filling discharge letters.
Just a few days after the government launched the new 10 -year plan for the NHS to ‘correct’, including more community care, digital upgrades and prevention focus rather than treatment.
However, the new research suggests that the biggest problem is solved: Doctors are drowning in management.
Dr. Sammy Arab and Mr. The doctors and researchers team, led by Karanjot Chhatwal, followed 137 young doctors in London and the National Heart and Lung Institute, January and July 2024 in NHS hospitals for seven months. Using stop charms, he said that every minute of a four -hour working time was spent in more than one minute. Doctors, Foundation 1st Year Expertise Training to 8th year 8 training duties.
The tasks are divided into five categories: History and exams, procedures, discussions with a multidisciplinary team, administrative tasks and breaks or teaching.
They discovered:
Only 1 hour passed with patients.
4 out of 6 hours were spent on administrative duties.
In their careers, doctors had less patient themes than senior ones.
Female doctors spent more time than men in documents.
Doctors using electronic systems spent more time than those who use paper grades in administrative tasks.
Experts say that doctors need real experience with patients to find out how to diagnose and treat the disease. However, the report usually shows that they do not take enough time.
Dr. “The heart of medicine is human connection. We can bring doctors back to their bedside where they need it by reducing administrative excessive burden.”
Mr Karanjot Chhatwal said: “We hope that researchers, policy makers and façade teams use this data as a jumpboard, manage a positive change and use to develop new generation doctors.”
“The extra minutes we give to doctors with patients is the improvement investment”
After each observation, doctors were asked to complete a satisfaction survey. Those who answered:
62 % reported medium or high dissatisfaction with the amount of administrative work.
The most preferred tasks by doctors were associated with the patient; Manager tasks were at least preferred.
The article says: “Non -clinical tasks for resident doctors may cause a decrease in health results and patient satisfaction.”
Researchers said that the time on management could lead to delays, wrong communication and mistakes. And they say that these documents are one of the main reasons for their overloading and threatening to leave.
It will soon be published in QJM (formerly a three -month medical magazine) and released by Oxford University Press, proposing emergency solutions:
Give doctors more managers to trained assistants, not doctors.
Use better computer systems – they say that the existing ones are slow and chunky.
Let senior doctors spend more time for younger ones.
Install a national NHS computer system, not those who are not different for each hospital.
Researchers say that other countries have made these changes and have seen great developments. In Japan, the cutting manager saved the time of the doctors and increased care.
GOVT quote will come
A spokesman for a health and social care spokesperson said: “Thanks to our 10 -year health plan, we reduce bureaucracy throughout the health care, reduce burden administrative tasks and use technology to ensure that doctors spend time for the best care for patients. 2,000 doctors.
“In addition to providing the second wage increase of inflation in a row this year, we have reduced the amount of recurrent compulsory education residents, we listen to doctors to better make their working life.
