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Task shifting to improve practice efficiency: A survey among general practitioners in non-urban Baden-Wuerttemberg,
Heiner Averbeck1, Jasmin Raedler1, Raenhha Dhami2
1Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health (CPD), Division of General Medicine, Heidelberg University Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
Background:
Germany is challenged by an increasing shortage in general practice services, especially in non-urban areas. Task shifting from general practitioners (GPs) to other health professionals may improve practice efficiency to address this mismatch.
Objectives:
Exploring GPs' motives and beliefs towards task shifting in non-urban Germany and identifying potential factors influencing these.
Methods:
The cross-sectional survey was disseminated by mail in three waves between July 2021 and August 2022 among all GPs in non-urban Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany. It included items on demographics and practice characteristics as well as 15 Likert-scale items addressing motives and beliefs towards task shifting, based on the Theoretical Domain Framework. Likert-scale items were analysed descriptively, influencing factors on motives and beliefs were identified using multiple linear regression.
Results:
Response rate was 24.2% (281/1162), with respondents comparable in age and gender to all GPs in Baden-Wuerttemberg. GPs' motives and beliefs towards task shifting are positive overall. The majority expects task shifting to reduce their workload (87.9%) and increase practice efficiency (74.7%). They are open to shift additional tasks to other professionals (69.1%), even in the currently prohibited form of substitution (51.2%). Motives and beliefs were significantly more positive among younger GPs and those participating in the GP-centred care programme.
Conclusion:
This study describes GPs' motives and beliefs towards task shifting in non-urban Germany. Identifying younger GPs and those participating in the GP-centred care programme as particularly endorsing may help design future interventions aiming to improve efficiency in general practice in non-urban Germany.
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