Organizational workload of general practitioners as a factor in personnel risks in the primary health care system.
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The organizational workload of primary care physicians is considered a significant factor in staffing instability in the primary care system. Given staffing shortages, the growth of preventive and dispensary work, and the active digitalization of healthcare, assessing the impact of administrative workload on the performance of general practitioners and district physicians is particularly important. The aim of the study was to examine the impact of organizational workload on the staffing stability of primary care physicians and to identify the key organizational factors driving staffing risks in the primary care system. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional sociological study was conducted based on a questionnaire survey of 109 general practitioners and district physicians working in various types of healthcare organizations. Sociological, statistical, and comparative research methods were used. Absolute and relative indicators were analyzed, 95% confidence intervals were calculated, the Pearson χ² test, and the Spearman rank correlation coefficient were calculated. Results. Insufficient staffing was reported by 83.3% of respondents (95% CI 76.3–90.4), while frequent or constant overtime was reported by 87.0% (95% CI 80.7–93.4), with 53.7% of physicians reporting constant delays after work hours. Medical documentation was cited as the main reason for overtime by 88.9% of respondents. For 67.6% of physicians, documentation takes up at least half of their patient consultation time. Despite the almost universal use of medical information systems (98.1%), a significant amount of paper and electronic documentation remains duplicated by 40.7% of respondents. Statistically significant correlations were found between high workload and overtime (r=0.48; p<0.05), as well as between the volume of documentation and the frequency of overtime (r=0.52; p<0.05). Conclusions. The organizational overload of primary care physicians is systemic and is driven by staffing shortages, high administrative burdens, and ineffective digitalization. The persistent paper-based and electronic duplication of resources limits the potential of digital technologies to reduce physician labor costs. Improving the sustainability of primary care staffing requires comprehensive organizational optimization aimed at reducing administrative burdens and improving document flow processes.
Source: Manager Zdravookhranenia
Language: English
Subfield: Family Practice
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7203862287