title: Medical work assessment in German hospitals: a study protocol of a movement sequence analysis (MAGRO-MSA).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medical doctors are essential for the German public and occupational health system. They ensure the productivity of German society by enabling people to regain and recover their health. That is why the physicians' health and hence their productivity require special attention. Musculoskeletal disorders have a high prevalence in this work area. As a consequence, movement sequences, range of motions, and body postures of physicians in the course of the working day are in focus of this research project.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this investigation 21 male or female junior physicians of various conservative medical disciplines will be covered. Data will be collected over one working day (approx. 9 hours). The CUELA system attached to the test person's body detects body posture and/or movements. This biomechanical measurement system ensures a locomotor and posture analysis that includes movement sequences, movement intensity, and range of motions to qualify the work tasks. For data analysis intra- and inter-professional comparisons are chosen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Working movement sequence analysis of physicians by means of the CUELA system is exclusive and novel in its focus. Up to now, knowledge of the working tasks of medical doctors has only been acquired by real-time observation approaches to work activity. In addition to this method of analysis, the CUELA system is able to record quantified biomechanical data about musculoskeletal loads of ordinary working tasks. Workloads and activities of physicians can be improved by ergonomic work design to reduce musculoskeletal disorders by utilizing the data collected. The healthcare system in Germany will thus be optimized by improving medical doctors' health. Consequently, MAGRO-MSA will also be used for other healthcare professions such as nurses and physicians assistants.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Building 9a, Frankfurt/Main, 60596 Germany.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ohlendorf
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Building 9a, Frankfurt/Main, 60596 Germany.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwarzer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biostatistics and Mathematical Modeling, Goethe-University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (IFA) of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), Sankt Augustin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hermanns
authors.affiliation: Principles of Prevention and Rehabilitation Department (GPR), Institute for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW), Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nienhaus
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (IFA) of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), Sankt Augustin, Germany.
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ellegast
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (IFA) of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), Sankt Augustin, Germany.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ditchen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Building 9a, Frankfurt/Main, 60596 Germany.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mache
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Building 9a, Frankfurt/Main, 60596 Germany.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Groneberg
keywords: Body posture; CUELA system; Movement sequence; Physicians’ health; Range of motions; Working task