{"id":12824,"date":"2026-05-17T11:56:34","date_gmt":"2026-05-17T09:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/info.1doc.ch\/penurie-de-secretaires-dans-les-centre-medicaux-gagnez-du-temps-administratif-avec-ces-3-conseils\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T17:46:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T15:46:14","slug":"shortage-medical-assistants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/info.onedoc.ch\/en\/blog\/all-specialties\/shortage-medical-assistants\/","title":{"rendered":"Shortage of medical assistants: 3 ways to ease your medical practice\u2019s administrative workload"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The shortage of medical assistants is making day-to-day work increasingly difficult for Swiss practices. And when staffing gets tight, administrative work is often the first area to absorb the pressure. In this context, recruitment remains essential, but it is not the only lever. Here are 3 methods you can apply to reduce workload effectively<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udc49 Discover OneDoc for medical practices<\/a><\/h3>\n

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A shortage that puts pressure on administration<\/h2><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1770815067686{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”] Even when staffing is short, the practice still has to keep running. Administrative tasks then become harder to manage with the same consistency<\/strong>, even as patient requests, calls, and follow-ups continue to come in. In Zurich, the INFRAS study estimates this pressure at around 12 missing medical assistants per 100 physicians<\/strong>, or nearly 440 full-time positions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This situation is all the more sensitive because expectations placed on medical assistants have increased<\/strong>. Their tasks have become more diverse, while practices are still struggling to recruit at the pace they need.
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Why is it so difficult to recruit medical assistants?<\/h2><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1779119172771{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}” el_class=”btf-a”]In Switzerland, the shortage of medical assistants can be explained by several factors, including rising demand and staffing levels that are no longer sufficient to meet it.[\/vc_column_text]

An administrative workload that keeps growing<\/h3><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1770815067690{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”]
\nThe administrative burden in the healthcare system is described as growing by the FOPH.<\/p>\n

Today, the role of medical assistants covers much more than reception: it also includes organizing practice administration, managing patient data, and monitoring several internal processes<\/strong>, which naturally increases the workload carried by teams.<\/p>\n

In addition, the FMH points out that patient documentation tasks now take up 20% of hospital physicians\u2019 time (that is 119 minutes per day!).
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Our tools to reduce your administrative workload<\/h4><\/header>[vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\u2705 Online appointment booking<\/a><\/td>\n\u2705 OneDoc Inbox<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u2705 SMS reminders<\/a><\/td>\n\u2705 Emma, your phone assistant<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

[\/vc_column_text]Book a demo<\/span><\/a>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner]

A growing need for staff<\/h3><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1770815067692{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”] As the Swiss population ages, practices\u2019 needs are increasing, while the talent pool remains insufficient. The number of people in training is increasing, but not enough to cover the needs of practices.<\/strong> According to the INFRAS study, only around half of practices offer apprenticeships<\/strong>, which limits renewal in the profession. Another factor adds to this: many graduates leave the profession immediately after their apprenticeship<\/strong>, further worsening the shortage. [\/vc_column_text]

Market competition<\/h3><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1770815067694{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”] Added to this is stronger competition between employers<\/strong>. Salary recommendations exist, but they are published at the cantonal level<\/strong> and are not uniform, which makes it harder for practices to remain competitive against other healthcare organizations. [\/vc_column_text]

3 methods you can implement right now<\/h2><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1770815067696{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”] When recruitment takes time, the challenge is not just waiting for the right candidate. It is also making sure the remaining team does not burn out on poorly distributed or unnecessarily time-consuming tasks.<\/p>\n

These three methods can already make a real difference in your practice\u2019s day-to-day work.
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1. Clarify what really needs to be done by a medical assistant<\/h3><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1770815067698{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”]
\nWhen the team is under pressure, the boundaries between tasks tend to become less clear<\/strong>. Very different activities end up being handled by the same people simply because things have to keep moving.<\/p>\n

But not every task requires the same level of expertise. Some tasks are better suited to a trained medical assistant. Others mainly involve reception, organization, or administrative follow-up. As long as this distinction is not clearly defined, you risk using qualified staff for tasks that could be better distributed.<\/p>\n

To help you, you can set up a table that lists requests and the people assigned to them<\/a>.<\/strong>
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2. Prioritize administrative tasks to avoid dispersion<\/h3><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1778837542554{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”]<\/p>\n

When the team is reduced, handling everything at the same level becomes counterproductive. Some tasks need to be handled immediately, while others can be grouped, postponed, or processed at dedicated times during the day.<\/p>\n

The goal is therefore to define clear priorities<\/strong>. Urgent requests, information that has a direct impact on care, or situations requiring a quick response must be distinguished from more routine administrative tasks. This prioritization helps reduce constant interruptions<\/strong> and prevents the team from spending the entire day reacting to urgent issues.<\/p>\n

In practice, this can be done with simple rules: handling certain types of requests at specific times, or using prioritization methods such as the Eisenhower matrix.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udc49 To learn more about methods that help you prioritize tasks in a medical practice, read our article<\/a><\/h3>\n

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3. Simplify administrative processes before adding resources<\/h3><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1770815067702{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”] When staff are missing, the first question is not always who to recruit next. It is often just as useful to ask what could be done more simply<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In many practices, a significant amount of administrative time is lost in avoidable back-and-forth: calls to schedule appointments, manual follow-ups, duplicate data entry, incomplete forms, scattered messages, or information that is difficult to find.
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Tools that reduce your assistants\u2019 workload<\/h4><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1770815067704{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”]
\nHere are some digital tools you can easily implement to sustainably reduce the administrative workload in your medical practice.<\/p>\n