Performance of health providers in primary health care services in Jordan

• Published in: Eastern Mediterranean health journal Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 372 - 381
• Main Authors: Khoury, S A, Mawajdeh, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Egypt 01.05.2004
• Subjects: Analysis of Variance; Appointments and Schedules; Community Health Centers - organization & administration; Efficiency, Organizational; Health Services Needs and Demand; Health Services Research; Humans; Inservice Training; Jordan; Medical Staff - education; Medical Staff - organization & administration; Nurse Midwives - education; Nurse Midwives - organization & administration; Nurse's Role; Nurse-Patient Relations; Nursing Staff - education; Nursing Staff - organization & administration; Organizational Innovation; Physician's Role; Physician-Patient Relations; Primary Health Care - organization & administration; Time and Motion Studies; Time Management; Workload; Jordan
• ISSN: 1020-3397; 1687-1634
• DOI: 10.26719/2004.10.3.372

The study analysed time utilization by a sample of 111 physicians, nurses and midwives in 62 primary health care facilities in Jordan. The providers' activity over each shift was coded at 3-minute intervals using an activity sampling technique and patient-provider contact times were recorded. Overall, health providers spent the nearly half their time (48.7%) as down time' (waiting, breaks and non-work related activities), with 29.1% as clinical activities and 22.1% as non-clinical work-related activities. Physicians had higher clinical and down times than nurses and midwives; waiting for patients accounted for half the down time. The mean physician-patient contact time was 3.08 minutes. An appointment system is recommended to reduce down times for health providers and increase consultation times.