Task shifting worries doctors worldwide

Doctors worldwide are concerned at the way medical tasks are shifting to staff who are not qualified doctors.

The World Medical Association fears that the quality of patient care could be compromised, particularly if medical judgment and decision making are transferred. The practice should not be used to save money, but only used in the short term where there is a shortage of workers, said association chair Dr Edward Hill.

In a policy statement agreed at its annual conference earlier this month, the World Medical Association said it accepted that, in certain situations, task shifting might improve quality of care, but there could in other situations be risks of “reduced patient-physician contact, fragmented and inefficient service, lack of proper follow-up, incorrect diagnosis and treatment, and inability to deal with complications.”

“We recognise the relevance of task shifting in countries where the alternative is no care at all. But the solution for one country cannot automatically be adopted by other countries,” said Dr Hill.

“Wherever this occurs, it is important that tasks that should be performed only by physicians are well defined, including the role of diagnosis and prescribing. There must be a clear understanding of what each person is trained for and capable of doing, clear understanding of responsibilities, and a defined, uniformly accepted use of terminology.”