[Always out of breath? An analysis of a doctor's tasks in pneumology]

Currently, data from questionnaires have demonstrated increasing criticism from respiratory physicians regarding their working situation. They complain about long working hours, income and an increasing amount of time spent on documentation and administrative duties in particular. Since these criticisms are only subjective perceptions they should be compared to data that are more objective. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to collect precise data about physicians' work in respiratory medicine in order to analyse working routines.

The working days of 60 physicians in a respiratory medicine hospital ward were observed unobtrusively for a total of 565 hours. An ultramobile personal computer was used to record the type and duration of all job tasks.

The study results illustrate that a physician's working day amounted to an average of 9 hours 15 minutes (SD = 0 : 46 : 59 h). Within this time span different time periods were spent on administrative tasks, internal communication and meetings as well as on communication with patients, ward rounds and medical examinations.

This is the first real-time analysis of job tasks in respiratory medical care. Some of the problems with work schedules reported by the doctors themselves were partly verified. Regarding the study results, a reorganisation of job tasks coupled with medical assistance systems may prove useful in reducing the workload of respiratory physicians.