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Bringing a European perspective to the health human resources debate: A scoping study

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  • Kuhlmann, Ellen
  • Batenburg, Ronald
  • Groenewegen, Peter P.
  • Larsen, Christa

Abstract

Healthcare systems across the world are increasingly challenged by workforce shortages and misdistribution of skills. Yet, no comprehensive European approach to health human resources (HHR) policy exists and action remains fragmented. This scoping study seeks to contribute to the debates by providing an overview of existing HHR research, and by exploring the challenges of a European approach with a focus on workforce planning. In terms of methods, we build on a scoping review comprising literature analysis and qualitative data gathered from policy experts. In our analysis we observe an overall lack of integrated HHR approaches as major obstacle of efficient HHR planning, and find that five dimensions of integration in HHR policy are needed: system, occupational, sector, gender, and socio-cultural integration. Increasing the analytical complexity of HHR planning models does not automatically bring about more reliable and efficient planning, as the added value of these models is highly context-dependent. Yet Europe is highly diverse and we therefore argue the need for a strategic HHR perspective that is capable of bridging many different HHR policies and planning systems, and combining national and European solutions efficiently.

Suggested Citation

  • Kuhlmann, Ellen & Batenburg, Ronald & Groenewegen, Peter P. & Larsen, Christa, 2013. "Bringing a European perspective to the health human resources debate: A scoping study," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(1), pages 6-13.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:110:y:2013:i:1:p:6-13
    DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2012.11.002
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    2. Maier, Claudia B. & Batenburg, Ronald & Birch, Stephen & Zander, Britta & Elliott, Robert & Busse, Reinhard, 2018. "Health workforce planning: which countries include nurse practitioners and physician assistants and to what effect?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(10), pages 1085-1092.
    3. Kroezen, Marieke & Van Hoegaerden, Michel & Batenburg, Ronald, 2018. "The Joint Action on Health Workforce Planning and Forecasting: Results of a European programme to improve health workforce policies," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(2), pages 87-93.
    4. Kuhlmann, Ellen & Larsen, Christa, 2015. "Why we need multi-level health workforce governance: Case studies from nursing and medicine in Germany," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(12), pages 1636-1644.
    5. Groenewegen, Peter & Heinemann, Stephanie & Greß, Stefan & Schäfer, Willemijn, 2015. "Primary care practice composition in 34 countries," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(12), pages 1576-1583.
    6. Carson, Dean B. & Schoo, Adrian & Berggren, Peter, 2015. "The ‘rural pipeline’ and retention of rural health professionals in Europe's northern peripheries," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(12), pages 1550-1556.
    7. Pavolini, Emmanuele & Kuhlmann, Ellen, 2016. "Health workforce development in the European Union: A matrix for comparing trajectories of change in the professions," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(6), pages 654-664.
    8. Ovseiko, Pavel V. & Buchan, Alastair M., 2015. "Medical workforce education and training: A failed decentralisation attempt to reform organisation, financing, and planning in England," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(12), pages 1545-1549.
    9. Kuhlmann, Ellen & Groenewegen, Peter P. & Bond, Christine & Burau, Viola & Hunter, David J., 2018. "Primary care workforce development in Europe: An overview of health system responses and stakeholder views," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(10), pages 1055-1062.
    10. Jambroes, Marielle & Lamkaddem, Majda & Stronks, Karien & Essink-Bot, Marie-Louise, 2015. "Enumerating the preventive youth health care workforce: Size, composition and regional variation in the Netherlands," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(12), pages 1557-1564.
    11. Batenburg, Ronald, 2015. "Health workforce planning in Europe: Creating learning country clusters," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(12), pages 1537-1544.
    12. Gallagher, Jennifer E. & Eaton, Kenneth A., 2015. "Health workforce governance and oral health: Diversity and challenges in Europe," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(12), pages 1565-1575.
    13. Kroezen, Marieke & Dussault, Gilles & Craveiro, Isabel & Dieleman, Marjolein & Jansen, Christel & Buchan, James & Barriball, Louise & Rafferty, Anne Marie & Bremner, Jeni & Sermeus, Walter, 2015. "Recruitment and retention of health professionals across Europe: A literature review and multiple case study research," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(12), pages 1517-1528.
    14. Correia, Tiago & Gomes, Inês & Nunes, Patrícia & Dussault, Gilles, 2020. "Health workforce monitoring in Portugal: Does it support strategic planning and policy-making?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(3), pages 303-310.

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