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Labour migration of doctors and nurses and the impact on the quality of health care in Eastern European countries: The case of Poland

Author

Listed:
  • Piotr Å»uk

    (University of Wrocław, Poland)

  • PaweÅ‚ Å»uk

    (Centre for Civil Rights and Democracy Research, Poland)

  • Justyna Lisiewicz-Jakubaszko

    (4th Military Clinical Hospital, Poland)

Abstract

The purpose of this commentary article is to explain the causes and effects of the economic migration of health care workers from Poland to Western countries, and to analyse the impact of the migration of doctors and nurses on the functioning of the public health system. We use data from the National Central Statistical Office, our own preliminary research, social surveys and the Watch Health Care database. Domestic data are analysed and compared with trends in Western Europe as described in Eurostat and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reports. The decreasing number of active physicians remaining in the health care system results in long waits for specialist appointments. The demand for doctors from Central and Eastern Europe will continue to grow. Consequently, there will be a further outflow of medical staff from Poland and other countries in the region and the current problems with access to health care will continue. JEL Codes: I00, I11, J61

Suggested Citation

  • Piotr Å»uk & PaweÅ‚ Å»uk & Justyna Lisiewicz-Jakubaszko, 2019. "Labour migration of doctors and nurses and the impact on the quality of health care in Eastern European countries: The case of Poland," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 30(2), pages 307-320, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecolab:v:30:y:2019:i:2:p:307-320
    DOI: 10.1177/1035304619847335
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Alicja Domagała & Marcin Kautsch & Aleksandra Kulbat & Kamila Parzonka, 2022. "Exploration of Estimated Emigration Trends of Polish Health Professionals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-18, January.
    2. Kuc‑Czarnecka, Marta & Saltelli, Andrea & Olczyk, Magdalena & Reinert, Erik, 2021. "The opening of Central and Eastern European countries to free trade: A critical assessment," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 23-34.
    3. Paweł Żuk & Piotr Żuk, 2022. "The precariat pandemic: Exploitation overshadowed by COVID-19 and workers’ strategies in Poland," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 33(1), pages 200-223, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Doctors; Eastern Europe; globalisation; health care system; health personnel; labour migration; nurses; public health; semi-periphery;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I00 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - General - - - General
    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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