2019 Volume 22 Issue 6 Pages 761-767
Background: To reduce the burden on doctors, our center restructured the responsibilities of a doctor clerk (DC) in 2016. In the 2018 fiscal year, the number of DCs increased from one to two. In this study, we examined the effects of this restructuring process.
Methods: The following were examined before and after the restructuring, as well as after the increase in the number of DCs: the number of patient claims, substitutions of primary care orders, records, case registries, and medical documents processed by DCs; along with doctors’ overtime, demand rate of admitted patients, and doctors’ satisfaction.
Results: After the restructuring, the number of documents and records processed by DCs increased. As many administrative tasks were delegated to DCs, the number of admitted patients increased by 6.7%, whereas doctors’ overtime rate decreased by 14%, resulting in an increase of doctors’ overall satisfaction.
Conclusions: The effective use of DCs reduced the burden on doctors and shifted their efforts to medical treatment. As workflow and efficiency improved in our institution, productivity and medical quality increased. Restructuring the role of DCs can potentially transform the way emergency physicians work.
