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[Workload Caused by Prescription Drug Shortages in General Practices in Germany: Results of a Cross-Sectional Study
Susanne Kersten1, Stephanie Klosterhalfen2, Achim Mortsiefer1
1Lehrstuhl für Allgemeinmedizin II und Patientenorientierung in der Primärversorgung, Institut für Allgemeinmedizin und Ambulante Gesundheitsversorgung, Universität Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany.
Background:
Since 2020, medication supply shortages have been a growing problem for patients, pharmacies and everyday working life in GP practices. This study investigates the resulting workload and the impact on the stress perception of medical assistants (MA) in German GP practices.
Methods:
In a participatory cross-sectional study, requests for unavailable prescription drugs were documented in 30 GP practices. Preparation, processing time, new consultation with a doctor and perceived stress.
Methods:
were recorded. The surveys took place for one week each in November 2023 and April 2024. In addition, a participatory process analysis was conducted, the contents of which had previously been developed together with MAs in a preparatory workshop. This formed the basis for a subsequent health economic model calculation.
Results:
Of the 61 participating MAs (all female, average age 42.7 years), 162 requests about drug supply shortages were documented. These mainly concerned antibiotics, diabetes, asthma and cardiovascular drugs. 49.3% of requests took more than five minutes to process, 65.8% required consultation with the responsible doctors and 4.3% of requests remained unresolved. Around half of the MAs (53.6%) perceived requests regarding unavailable medicines as more stressful compared with other requests in routine daily practice. 60% of the medical assistants felt sufficiently informed to process the requests. The process analysis revealed a theoretical minimum processing time of 9 minutes per request. With a shortage rate of 1.2%, this results in an additional time expenditure of 1 hour and 35 minutes per quarter and practice.
Conclusion:
More than half of the requests lead to a relevant workload, as they take more than five minutes to process, require consultation with doctors or represent an increased stress load. The results make it clear that medication supply shortages not only affect patients, but also result in a considerable additional workload for service providers, especially for medical assistants in GP practices.
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