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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Use of and attitudes to a hospital information system by medical secretaries, nurses and physicians deprived of the paper-based medical record: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Most hospitals keep and update their paper-based medical records after introducing an electronic medical record or a hospital information system (HIS). This case report describes a HIS in a hospital where the paper-based medical records are scanned and eliminated. To evaluate the HIS comprehensively, the perspectives of medical secretaries and nurses are described as well as that of physicians. METHODS: We have used questionnaires and interviews to assess and compare frequency of use of the HIS for essential tasks, task performance and user satisfaction among medical secretaries, nurses and physicians. RESULTS: The medical secretaries use the HIS much more than the nurses and the physicians, and they consider that the electronic HIS greatly has simplified their work. The work of nurses and physicians has also become simplified, but they find less satisfaction with the system, particularly with the use of scanned document images. CONCLUSIONS: Although the basis for reference is limited, the results support the assertion that replacing the paper-based medical record primarily benefits the medical secretaries, and to a lesser degree the nurses and the physicians. The varying results in the different employee groups emphasize the need for a multidisciplinary approach when evaluating a HIS.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1957

MEDICAL secretary.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Economics, Medical↗
PubMed2001

Medical secretaries. Making the grade.

A review of the role of medical secretaries in a surgical directorate has reduced turnover among this group to zero. Previously the directorate had difficulty with recruitment and often had to rely on agency staff. The review led to the introduction of the new post of business coordinator, and all medical secretaries in the directorate have now achieved this level. The review led to an expanded role for medical secretaries which has increased their job satisfaction.

Hospitals, Public↗
PubMed2003

Personnel reductions and structural changes in health care: work-life experiences of medical secretaries.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the experiential aspects of 'psychosocial stressors and motivators' for medical secretaries, following a period of personnel reductions and structural changes in Swedish health care. The focus was to understand and describe work-life experiences for this specific group of women and how they managed in what can be presumed to be a more demanding work situation. METHOD: A descriptive qualitative study with repeated in-depth interviews of six medical secretaries (mean age: 45 years) in a large hospital in Sweden. The first interview took place in the autumn of 1997 (in connection with the last round of the 20% staff redundancies), 1998 and 2000. Thematic content analysis from audiotaped and transcribed interviews was used to obtain understanding. RESULTS: The study provided three main themes from the women's perceived stressors, motivators and coping options. The descriptions of their stressors provided the metaphor, 'energy thieves' with three underlying subthemes: 'too much work,' 'lack of recognition' and 'the dilemma of health, family and finances.' Experienced motivators, labeled as 'energy givers' had two subthemes: 'professional pride' and 'the comprehensive whole.' The women's descriptions about managing increasing demands were thematized as altering between 'being submissive and taking actions' with three subthemes: 'unequal communication,' 'resigned and passive reactions' versus 'cautious and solution-oriented coping.' Expressions concerned mainly 'energy thieves,' inclusively worries about 'lacking energy' (intrinsic stressor), combined with passive and cautious coping behavior. However, the descriptions became somewhat more varied and balanced with enriching and solution oriented factors in the follow-up interviews. CONCLUSIONS: There is an evident contrast between a demanding reality of work, described by medical secretaries in this study, and their expressed desire to have a more reasonable work environment that allowed them to be able to complete their work. They also wanted to be heard regarding their requests about work options and decent salaries. This study demonstrates the importance of making feelings of inferiority and injustice visible as well as to support professional pride and more assertive coping behavior. This is also valid for the need to enhance equal/congruent communication between interdependent workers. The study has implications for managers and health workers supporting and empowering women, providing administrative service in a clinical health care context. The subthemes being identified within the metaphor 'energy thieves,' in relation to resigned/passive reactions and cautious coping styles, could be used in stress prevention, while the understanding of 'energy givers' and the support of active and solution-oriented coping conducts could be used in health promotion work.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1991

Neck and shoulder disorders in medical secretaries. Part I. Pain prevalence and risk factors.

420 medical secretaries took part in a cross-sectional study at examining the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders as well as the relationship between neck and shoulder pain and possible risk factors. Sixty-three percent had experienced neck pain sometime during the previous year and while 15% had suffered almost constant pain 32% had experienced neck pain only occasionally. Shoulder pain during the previous year had been experienced by 62%, 17% had suffered almost constant pain while 29% experienced pain only occasionally. Fifty-one percent had experienced low back pain. Age and length of employment were significantly related to neck and shoulder pain. Furthermore, working with office machines 5 hours or more per day was associated with a significantly increased risk for neck pain (OR 1.7), shoulder pain (OR 1.9) and headache (OR 1.8). Finally, a poorly experienced psychosocial work environment was significantly related to headache, neck, shoulder and low back pain. The results of this study suggest that work with office machines as well as the psychosocial work environment are important factors in neck and shoulder pain.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed2006

[Evaluation of the level of knowledge of medical secretaries about clinical specimens].

The rapid development of medical industry in the last 5 years in Turkey led to an increased demand for medical technicians and secretaries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of knowledge of students in Occupational School of Medical Documentation and Secretary about the clinical specimens, and to estimate the need for an additional education on clinical specimens. Four hundred and forty eight students from eight universities were participated to this questionnaire survey. Mean age of the participants were 20.4+/-1.66 years and 342 (76.3%) of them were female students. The mean answer rate of students to the questions about clinical specimens was found 3.4+/-1.9% (min-max: 0-10). Correct answer rates were similar for both first and second year students. There was a negative relationship between the educational year and the rate of correct answer, however the correlation was not significant. Additionally, internship period did not have any effect on the level of knowledge. The results of this survey have indicated that the level of knowledge of medical secretaries about clinical specimens was very low. As the roles and responsibilities of medical secretaries in medical industry increases, in order to increase the cost-effectivity, quality and patient satisfaction, the contents of their education programs must be reorganized, and a lecture about clinical specimens should be integrated.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Neck and shoulder disorders in medical secretaries. Part II. Ergonomical work environment and symptom profile.

Seventy-nine medical secretaries with neck and shoulder pain were included in a study aimed at an in-depth description of the ergonomical work environment and the participant's symptom profile, as well as analysing relationships between ergonomical factors and symptoms. Data were collected by daily ratings, questionnaires, and direct observation. The symptom profile showed low mean daily ratings of perceived fatigue and pain, a low medicine consumption, and few stress symptoms. A mean number of 2.1 undesirable work postures was observed. The correlations between perceived fatigue, pain, and well-being with number of shifts from sitting to standing and time spent typing, were generally small. This study suggests that risk factors for neck and shoulder pain are individual and multifactorial.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed1997

Load pattern and pressure pain threshold in the upper trapezius muscle and psychosocial factors in medical secretaries with and without shoulder/neck disorders.

OBJECT: A current hypothesis for the genesis of muscular complaints in the shoulder/neck region postulates that short periods with a completely relaxed muscle are essential to avoid complaints. Another hypothesis is that these disorders are related to psychosocial conditions at work. In order to test these hypotheses, 23 medical secretaries were investigated. METHODS: The load pattern during work in the upper trapezius muscle bilaterally was assessed with electromyographic (EMG) technique and exposure variation analysis (EVA). In addition, pressure pain threshold (PPT) was measured on the trapezius muscle bilaterally and on the sternum. Psychosocial conditions at work were assessed with a questionnaire. RESULTS: The medical secretaries with complaints had significantly fewer episodes with totally or close to totally relaxed muscle compared with the healthy group. The group with complaints tended to have a more monotonous load pattern at low levels (approx. 1%-5% maximum voluntary contraction) while the healthy group had more frequent pauses but also somewhat more frequent short load peaks. The group with complaints showed lower PPT readings compared with the healthy group. However, the whole group had considerably lower PPTs than is usually reported in the literature. Of the 12 questions in the psychosocial questionnaire only one regarding work task satisfaction showed a significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Support is found for hypothesis that secretaries without complaints have more frequent episodes with totally relaxed muscle. A significant difference is found regarding work task satisfaction.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

A controlled study of the effect of neck school in medical secretaries.

The effect of "neck school" on neck and shoulder disorders was studied in medical secretaries. A neck school reinforced with compliance enhancing measures (group B) was compared with a traditional neck school (group A) and a control group (group C). The results show that ergonomical knowledge was good even before the secretaries attended the neck schools and that compliance was significantly higher for group B. When comparisons were made within groups some improvements on neck and shoulder fatigue and pain were noted, particularly for group B. When workload was controlled no significant group differences were found. No differences were noted for range of neck motion, or sick leave in any group. Our conclusion is that neck schools, despite good compliance, appear to be of limited clinical value for prevention of neck and shoulder disorders.

Adult↗