• Jan Wolff, Gerd Auber, Tobias Schober, Felix Schwär, Karl Hoffmann, Marc Metzger, Andrea Heinzmann, Marcus Krüger, Claus Normann, Gerald Gitsch, Norbert Südkamp, Thomas Reinhard, and Mathias Berger.
• Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; Evangelical Foundation Neuerkerode, Braunschweig; Central Reporting Unit, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Germany; Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; Department of Gynecology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; Center for Pediatrics, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; Department of Neonatology, Städtische Kliniken München GmbH; Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; Eye Center, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany.
• Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2017 Oct 20; 114 (42): 705711705-711.

BackgroundThe effective utilization of staff resources is of decisive importance for the adequate, appropriate, and economical delivery of hospital services. The goal of this study was to determine the distribution of working time among doctors in a German university hospital-in particular, in terms of type of activities and time of day.MethodsThe distribution of working time was determined from 14-day samples taken in seven clinical departments of the Medical Center-University of Freiburg. In each 14-day sample, the activities being carried out at multiple, randomly chosen times were recorded.ResultsA total of 250 doctors (participation rate: 83%) took part in the study. A total of 20 715 hours of working time was analyzed, representing twelve years of full-time employment. Overall, 46% of working time in the inpatient sector was spent in direct contact with patients, with relevant differences among the participating clinical departments: for instance, the percentage of time taken up by patient contact was 35% in pediatrics and 60% in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Patient contact was highest (over 50% overall) in the period 8 a.m. to 12 noon.ConclusionThe amount of working time taken up by activities other than direct patient contact was found to be lower than in previous studies. It remains unclear what distribution of working time is best for patient care and whether it would be possible or desirable to increase the time that doctors spend in direct contact with patients.

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