Current status of “doctor's office work assistant” in Japan and issues involved

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  • 医師事務作業補助者の現状と課題
  • イシ ジム サギョウ ホジョシャ ノ ゲンジョウ ト カダイ

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Abstract

<p>In Japan, “doctor's office work assistant” has been introduced in 2008, to reduce the burden on medical doctors working in hospitals. Under the direction of doctors, the office work assistants could prepare medical documents such as medical records, discharge summaries, medical certificates and written opinions. Training of the assistants has been promoted nationwide in medical institutions and vocational schools. First, lack of the absolute number of doctors is cited in the cause of the increased workload. Furthermore, doctors gaining seniority are expected to attend various meetings in line of hospital management and writing up complicated medical documents also causes burden. Administrative workload except the clinical practice has been increased markedly in hospitals. However, it is thought that there is a fundamental problem of medical record writing and management. The recording and the management of the medical documents have been slighted for many years in our country. Creation of medical records that is “worthy of disclosure” is demanded. From the viewpoint of quality of medical documents, the assistants are expected to play an important role in recording the medical documents. After the introduction, in the various questionnaire surveys about the reduction of the burden, high degree of satisfaction has been shown among the doctors. In addition, a growing number of reports which evaluated an effect of the introduction quantitatively, such as the shortening of overtime work and the reduction effect of overtime expense, have been published recently. To become independent as an expert of medical documents, the development of lifelong education program is desirable. For further skill improvement and better social recognition, the authorized system of the information exchange and the advanced qualification will be necessary. I hope that “doctor's office work assistant”, as an expert of writers of medical documents, contributes to team medical care and the improvement of healthcare quality in our country.</p>

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