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Objectives: We aimed to examine associations of work engagement with self-reported concerns of having made medical errors among medical assistants. Methods: We used cross-sectional questionnaire data from 424 medical assistants in Germany (collected between March and May 2021). The nine-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale assessed the subdimensions vigor, dedication, and absorption. Participants further reported whether they were concerned that they had made an important medical error in the last three months. Work engagement scores were used both as categorized variables (i.e., highest tertile vs. remaining tertiles) and continuous variables (i.e., z-scores) and their associations with concerns to have made an important medical error were examined using multivariable logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: High vigor (versus low vigor) and high dedication (versus low dedication) were associated with substantially reduced odds of expressing concerns to have made an important medical error (OR = 0.19, 95%CI = 0.04–0.85 and OR = 0.25, 95%CI = 0.07–0.88, respectively), but absorption was not (OR = 1.10, 95%CI = 0.43–2.86). Analyses with z-scores confirmed this pattern of associations for vigor and absorption, but less so for dedication (OR = 0.72, 95%CI = 0.47–1.11). Conclusions: Vigor and possibly also dedication are inversely related to concerns of having made an important medical error. Our findings may suggest that promotion of these subdimensions of work engagement may improve patient safety.

Work stress is common among health care professionals and this observation also holds true for general practitioners (GPs) and their medical assistance staff in Germany. Therefore, prior studies have examined the work-related intervention needs of medical assistants (MAs). We sought to explore potential interventions that may help to address these needs according to GPs’ views. Between December 2018 and April 2019 GPs were recruited via physician networks and through personal visits in general practices. Information on the nature and prevalence of 20 work-related intervention needs of MAs was presented to GPs. GPs then participated in a qualitative interview to reflect on the MAs’ needs. Qualitative content analysis according to Mayring was carried out using MAXQDA. A total of 21 GPs participated and perceived many of the needs as justified. The least understanding was expressed for requests of MA related to occupational aspects that were already known prior to hiring. The responsibility to address needs was often assigned to the German health policy. GPs expressed though that they considered addressing the need for better leadership style as their own responsibility as supervisors. Furthermore, professional training was discussed as one opportunity to raise the recognition and remuneration of MAs. Measures to address the work-related intervention needs of MAs and to thereby improve the working conditions of MAs were discussed with GPs.

In Germany, employers are obliged to offer “operational integration management” (OIM) services to employees returning from long-term sick leave. OIM aims to improve employees’ workability and to prevent future sick leave or early retirement. This study examined (i) to what extent OIM services are offered to eligible employees, (ii) to what extent offers are accepted and (iii) the determinants of both outcomes. We used data from a cohort of employees eligible for OIM. Thirty-four potential determinants were assessed in 2013 (i.e., the baseline) using participant reports. In 2015 (i.e., the follow-up), participants were asked (a) whether they had ever been offered OIM services by their employer, and (b) whether they had accepted that offer (i.e., the outcomes). We estimated relative risks by multivariable binomial regression to identify predictors based on backward elimination. In total, 36.0% of the participants were offered OIM services and 77.2% of them accepted that offer. The likelihood of an OIM offer at follow-up was elevated in participants with mental impairment, cancer or long-term absenteeism and increased with organizational justice, neuroticism, and company size. The likelihood of accepting that OIM offer was positively associated with mental impairment and decreased with increasing company size.

Common mental disorders (CMDs) are risk factors for long-term sickness absence and unemployment. Therefore, return-to-work (RTW) processes have been introduced to facilitate the return of employees. As the success of RTW processes is considered to be determined by the cooperativeness of the involved stakeholders, we aimed to investigate the views of those stakeholders to disclose potentially diverging expectations. Qualitative interviews were conducted (08/2018-04/2019) among five stakeholder groups: returnees with a diagnosed CMD who were eligible for a RTW process, health care professionals nominated by the returnees, supervisors, colleagues and occupational physicians (the latter three groups were not nominated by the returnees). In total, 24 returnees, 13 health care professionals, 13 occupational physicians, 9 supervisors and 9 colleagues were interviewed (68 interviews in total). Potentially diverging expectations of the stakeholders related to whether diagnoses need to be disclosed by returnees. Agreement existed in terms of the need for a trustful relationship between employees and occupational physicians to initiate a RTW process early. As the understanding of all stakeholders&rsquo, viewpoints is one of the main factors promoting a successful RTW, we explored the expectations of those involved in the RTW process. One implication of our findings is to strengthen the role of occupational physicians, who could coordinate the return process.

Medical assistants&rsquo, (MAs) working conditions have been characterized as precarious, and workplace-related intervention needs have been identified. However, strategies to change the MAs adverse working conditions are mostly seen on an individual level, including leaving the employer or even the profession. Since such intentions are antecedents of actual turnover, we aimed to quantify the potential link of reported unmet intervention needs with unfavorable occupational outcomes. Data were collected by means of a nationwide survey among medical assistants (n = 994) in Germany (September 2016&ndash, April 2017). The three subscales working conditions, reward from the supervisor, and task-related independence were derived from a 12-item instrument regarding work-related interventions needs (the independent variables). We used subscale-specific z-scores and a total needs z-score. The four outcome variables (i.e., intention to leave the employer, intention to leave the MA profession, choosing MA profession again, and recommending MA profession to young people) were dichotomized, and logistic regression analyses were performed and limited to MAs in employment (n = 887). We found that increasing needs according to the categorized total needs score were associated with increasing odds of all occupational outcomes. Needs pertaining to working conditions and reward from the supervisor were the strongest determinants of MAs&rsquo, consideration of leaving their employer or profession (Odds ratios: 1.55&ndash, 2.61). In summary, our study identified unmet work-related intervention needs that are associated with unfavorable occupational outcomes. In light of staffing shortage in health care, the identified needs should be addressed to ensure that sufficient recruitment of junior staff in the profession of medical assistants remains feasible and that experienced staff is retained.