Table 1.

Distribution of the physicians' activities observed during the study period

Category	minutes per day	(% of working time)
I Communication		40, 4%
communication with patients about diagnosis/therapy	73	11,0%
communication with patients about psychosocial issues	3	0.4%
communication with relatives	6	0.9%
communication with outpatients (phone)	3	0.4%
discussion with colleagues	150	22.8%
meetings (regular discussion sessions on medical concerns)	32	4.9%
II Patient Care		23.1%
discussion of charts	41	6.2%
evaluation of diagnostic findings	28	4.3%
consultations (medical advice for patients on other wards)	3	0.4%
practical actions/medical activities	39	5.9%
operations	42	6.3%
III Clinical documentation		11.2%
writing (discharge) letters	50	7.6%
announce examinations	18	2.8%
Reports	3	0.5%
writing operation reports	2	0.3%
IV Administrative documentation		7.6%
DRG Coding	11	1.7%
V Teaching and research	39	5.9%
VI Other activities		17.7%
Breaks	35	5.2%
other (including walking times etc.)	82	12.5%
Sum		100%