Health care systems in many countries have been in transformation for several decades now. They are subject to demographic and epidemiological changes in the populations served on the one hand, and technological changes that directly influence professional practices on the other. These are all factors that create pressures for the transformation of the work of key stakeholders in health care institutions, nurses and physicians. In the context of rising costs and a shortage of specialized resources, institutions and decision-makers are faced with the challenge of optimizing the use and efficiency of these key stakeholders.

The objective of this study was to draw a portrait, based on the published scientific literature, of the activities carried out by health professionals during their working hours. The research questions asked were as follows:

(1) What are the activities carried out by health professionals (doctors and nurses) and how are they defined?

(2) What is the share of clinical (patient-care-related) and non-clinical (non-patient care-related) activities performed by health professionals (doctors and nurses) during their working hours?

(3) What proportion of non-clinical activities performed by physicians and nurses may not be part of their work? How do these activities affect the efficiency of the organization of care?