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

doi:10.2147/JHL.S498789

. 2025 Jan 25:17:15-22.

doi: 10.2147/JHL.S498789. eCollection 2025.

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

Reinhard Strametz^#¹, Hannah Roesner^#^{1

2}, Thomas Neusius^#¹, Isabell Wiesenhuetter¹, Stefan Bushuven^{3

4}, José Joaquín Mira^{2

5}, Dominik Hinzmann⁶, Susanne Heininger⁷

Affiliations

¹ Wiesbaden Institute for Healthcare Economics and Patient Safety, RheinMain UAS, Wiesbaden, Germany.
² Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Elche, Spain.
³ Training Center for Emergency Medicine (NOTIS e.V), Engen, 78234, Germany.
⁴ Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79106, Germany.
⁵ Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana (FISABIO), Alicante, Spain.
⁶ Department Clinical Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
⁷ Faculty for Applied Healthcare Sciences, Deggendorf Institute of Technology, Deggendorf, Germany.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 39882308
PMCID: PMC11776421
DOI: 10.2147/JHL.S498789

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

Reinhard Strametz et al. J Healthc Leadersh. 2025.

. 2025 Jan 25:17:15-22.

doi: 10.2147/JHL.S498789. eCollection 2025.

Authors

Reinhard Strametz^#¹, Hannah Roesner^#^{1

2}, Thomas Neusius^#¹, Isabell Wiesenhuetter¹, Stefan Bushuven^{3

4}, José Joaquín Mira^{2

5}, Dominik Hinzmann⁶, Susanne Heininger⁷

Affiliations

¹ Wiesbaden Institute for Healthcare Economics and Patient Safety, RheinMain UAS, Wiesbaden, Germany.
² Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Elche, Spain.
³ Training Center for Emergency Medicine (NOTIS e.V), Engen, 78234, Germany.
⁴ Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79106, Germany.
⁵ Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana (FISABIO), Alicante, Spain.
⁶ Department Clinical Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
⁷ Faculty for Applied Healthcare Sciences, Deggendorf Institute of Technology, Deggendorf, Germany.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 39882308
PMCID: PMC11776421
DOI: 10.2147/JHL.S498789

Abstract

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.

Keywords: economic impact; healthcare professionals; peer support program; second victim phenomenon.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

References

1. Wu AW, Connors C, Everly GS. COVID-19: peer support and crisis communication strategies to promote institutional resilience. Ann Intern Med. 2020;172(12):822–823. doi:10.7326/M20-1236 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Pich J, Hazelton M, Sundin D, Kable A. Patient-related violence against emergency department nurses. Nurs Health Sci. 2010;12(2):268–274. doi:10.1111/j.1442-2018.2010.00525.x - DOI - PubMed
1. Al Khatib O, Taha H, Al Omari L, et al. Workplace violence against Health Care Providers in Emergency Departments of Public Hospitals in Jordan: a cross-sectional study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(4):3675. doi:10.3390/ijerph20043675 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Wu AW. Medical error: the second victim. The doctor who makes the mistake needs help too. BMJ. 2000;320(7237):726–727. doi:10.1136/bmj.320.7237.726 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Vanhaecht K, Seys D, Russotto S, et al. An evidence and consensus-based definition of second victim: a strategic topic in healthcare quality, patient safety, person-centeredness and human resource management. IJERPH. 2022;19(24):16869. doi:10.3390/ijerph192416869 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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[1] Wu AW, Connors C, Everly GS. COVID-19: peer support and crisis communication strategies to promote institutional resilience. Ann Intern Med. 2020;172(12):822–823. doi:10.7326/M20-1236 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Wu AW, Connors C, Everly GS. COVID-19: peer support and crisis communication strategies to promote institutional resilience. Ann Intern Med. 2020;172(12):822–823. doi:10.7326/M20-1236 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Pich J, Hazelton M, Sundin D, Kable A. Patient-related violence against emergency department nurses. Nurs Health Sci. 2010;12(2):268–274. doi:10.1111/j.1442-2018.2010.00525.x - DOI - PubMed

[4] Pich J, Hazelton M, Sundin D, Kable A. Patient-related violence against emergency department nurses. Nurs Health Sci. 2010;12(2):268–274. doi:10.1111/j.1442-2018.2010.00525.x - DOI - PubMed

[5] Al Khatib O, Taha H, Al Omari L, et al. Workplace violence against Health Care Providers in Emergency Departments of Public Hospitals in Jordan: a cross-sectional study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(4):3675. doi:10.3390/ijerph20043675 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[6] Al Khatib O, Taha H, Al Omari L, et al. Workplace violence against Health Care Providers in Emergency Departments of Public Hospitals in Jordan: a cross-sectional study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(4):3675. doi:10.3390/ijerph20043675 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[7] Wu AW. Medical error: the second victim. The doctor who makes the mistake needs help too. BMJ. 2000;320(7237):726–727. doi:10.1136/bmj.320.7237.726 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[8] Wu AW. Medical error: the second victim. The doctor who makes the mistake needs help too. BMJ. 2000;320(7237):726–727. doi:10.1136/bmj.320.7237.726 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[9] Vanhaecht K, Seys D, Russotto S, et al. An evidence and consensus-based definition of second victim: a strategic topic in healthcare quality, patient safety, person-centeredness and human resource management. IJERPH. 2022;19(24):16869. doi:10.3390/ijerph192416869 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[10] Vanhaecht K, Seys D, Russotto S, et al. An evidence and consensus-based definition of second victim: a strategic topic in healthcare quality, patient safety, person-centeredness and human resource management. IJERPH. 2022;19(24):16869. doi:10.3390/ijerph192416869 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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

Affiliations

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

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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References

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