Geriatricians feel growing external appreciation of their work. Survey among Finnish geriatricians in 2013

Abstract

In 2001 and 2008, the Finnish Geriatrics Society (SG) performed postal surveys to its members to investigate their work satisfaction, work burden and views on older people's care. This survey was repeated in spring 2013. Methods: The questionnaire of earlier surveys was used in order to compare answers. The questionnaire was distributed to members via emails and through the website. Results: Altogether 121 doctors (71% women) responded, 119 of them actively working, corresponding to 52% of geriatricians in Finland. Geriatricians are well-trained, half of them also had another specialty, and a third had a PhD degree. One third had a position of physician-in-chief. In 2001 and 2008, 36% and 60%, respectively, felt that the work of a geriatrician is appreciated very well or well, but the proportion had risen to 75% in 2013. Responders experienced the general working atmosphere in older people's care as good, and coping at work was generally good. Instead, geriatricians felt that they cannot satisfactorily influence the geriatric care in their communities, and possibilities for this have weakened during the past 5 years. Lack of timely geriatric rehabilitation and lack of general geriatric knowledge were considered as the biggest problems in geriatric care. Similarly to the year 2008, geriatricians considered geriatric rehabilitation, care of memory patients, and geriatric acute care as core activities in their work. Conclusions: Due to their solid training, Finnish geriatricians have a wide perspective on older people's care and this knowledge must be appropriately utilized in communities.