Working conditions of otorhinolaryngology specialists working in secondary health institutions

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the working conditions of ear-nose-throat (ENT) specialists who do not work in training and research hospitals and university hospitals. METHODS: Ear-nose-throat specialist who work in various cities of Turkey were asked to answer a Google Form (Mountain View, California, USA) questionnaire consisting of 33 questions. The questionnaire filled out by 99 ENT specialists (74 males, 26 females; mean age: 36.0±6.8 year; range, 29 to 60 year) participating in the study was evaluated. The questionnaire was composed of multiple-choice or single-choice questions aimed at understanding physicians' demographic characteristics, general working conditions, outpatient and operating room conditions, and physical facilities. RESULTS: The 71.8% of the physicians participating in the study were between the ages of 29-35. When the general working conditions were considered, it was observed that 34.3% of the participants were exposed to mobbing by the hospital management, 37.4% had problems while obtaining leave and reports, and 26.2% were seeing more than 100 patients a day. 70.7% of participants stated that they felt pressured to meet a performance score, 59.6% found the number and quality of operating room personnel insufficient, and 31.3% of the physicians stated that the operating room sterilization conditions were insufficient. CONCLUSION: Physicians' polyclinic conditions and materials are not sufficient. Improving operating room conditions and increasing the number of qualified personnel will increase the quality of the surgeries performed by physicians, reduce patient referral to the tertiary step, and reduce the patient burden for tertiary care, ensuring more qualified healthcare services.