Optimizing the Healthcare Team: A Systematic Review of Role Delegation and Task Sharing Between Nurses and Secretarial Staff in General Medicine Practices
Abstract
Background: General medicine practices are facing rising clinical complexity, administrative tasks, and patient demand, which require the establishment of innovative team-based care models to optimize efficiency and staff well-being.
Aim: The systematic review uses 2015-2025 literature to report on models, outcomes, facilitators, and barriers to role delegation and task sharing between secretarial and nursing staff in general medicine.
Methods: Systematic database searching was used through databases like PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus. Eligible studies were those that evaluated interventions of task delegation or role sharing between administrative and nursing staff in primary care settings and reported relevant outcomes.
Results: Examples of prominent models mentioned are the Chronic Care Model (CCM), teamlets, and protocol-based task redistribution. There is evidence that effective delegation significantly improves physician and staff burnout, team satisfaction, and functional effectiveness (e.g., reduced wait times, better panel management). Appropriately delegated work can maintain or even improve quality measures for chronic disease and preventive care. Significant obstacles include preservation of professional role, regulatory constraints, and inadequate training, while effective leadership, co-designed workflows, and effective communication are key facilitators.
Conclusion: Intentional redesign of nurse-secretarial staff positions is a crucial strategy for creating a high-performing, sustainable primary care system, but success depends on surmounting implementation issues.
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References
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Copyright (c) 2025 Abdullah Ali M Alzahrani, Ahlam Mohammed Mashnafi, Mohammed Hebah Yahya Badwi, Tahani Mohammed Algammdi, Reem Salman Al Otaibi, Abdulmajeed Muneer Alotaibi, Hassan Awaji Mohammad Hakimi, Ahlam Mohammed Mashnafi, Rahaf Murdhi Alanazi
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