title: Performance of health providers in primary health care services in Jordan.
abstract: The study analysed time utilization by a sample of 111 physicians, nurses and midwives in 62 primary health care facilities in Jordan. The providers' activity over each shift was coded at 3-minute intervals using an activity sampling technique and patient-provider contact times were recorded. Overall, health providers spent the nearly half their time (48.7%) as down time' (waiting, breaks and non-work related activities), with 29.1% as clinical activities and 22.1% as non-clinical work-related activities. Physicians had higher clinical and down times than nurses and midwives; waiting for patients accounted for half the down time. The mean physician-patient contact time was 3.08 minutes. An appointment system is recommended to reduce down times for health providers and increase consultation times.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mawajdeh
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D007597:Jordan; D008503:Medical Staff / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010819:Physician's Role; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017748:Time Management; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D016526:Workload