The Economic Implications of Psychosocial Peer Support for Health Workers in German Hospitals

Purpose: The objective of this study is to evaluate whether the nationwide establishment and institutionalization of a peer-support program, is economically justified given the potential positive effects on the Second Victim Phenomenon (SVP) among healthcare professionals in Germany. Methods: A comp...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Strametz, R, Roesner, H, Neusius, T, Wiesenhuetter, I, Bushuven, S, Mira, JJ, Hinzmann, D, Heininger, S
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana (FISABIO)
Repositorio:r-FISABIO. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica
OAI Identifier:oai:fisabio.fundanetsuite.com:p18630
Acceso en línea:https://fisabio.portalinvestigacion.com/publicaciones/18630
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:peer support program
economic impact
second victim phenomenon
healthcare professionals
Descripción
Sumario:Purpose: The objective of this study is to evaluate whether the nationwide establishment and institutionalization of a peer-support program, is economically justified given the potential positive effects on the Second Victim Phenomenon (SVP) among healthcare professionals in Germany. Methods: A comprehensive methodological approach was employed, using data from the SeViD studies to assess the prevalence and duration of SVP among physicians and nurses in Germany. Economic impact assessments were conducted to estimate the potential cost savings associated with implementing a peer-support program. Results: The economic analysis reveals significant annual costs associated with SVP-induced absenteeism: approximately 1.56 billion euros for physicians and 1.87 billion euros for nurses. Implementing comprehensive peer-support programs could reduce these costs to approximately 0.85 billion (physicians) and 1.02 billion euros (nurses), respectively, demonstrating substantial potential economic benefits. Conclusion: Investing in a structured peer-support program could yield annual savings exceeding 1.55 billion euros while enhancing workforce resilience and improving patient care. This underscores the economic rationale for scaling up peer support initiatives in healthcare settings.