Inequity in the distribution of human talent in health: an analysis of medical specialists and general practitioners by the department in Colombia from the Single National Registry of Human Talent in Health (ReTHUS)

Introduction. Colombia faces a shortage of doctors that, added to multiple reports of inequitable and centralized distribution of this health personnel, has grave consequences for public health. For this reason, characterizing the medical population in Colombia is so essential. Aim. To describe the medical population and its geographical distribution in Colombia, categorizing it between general practitioners and specialists. Methodology. a descriptive cross-sectional study. We used the ReTHUS and DANE databases to carry out a descriptive analysis of medical personnel in Colombia by department, subdividing between specialist doctors and general practitioners, as well as the six primary specialties. Results. Medical personnel are concentrated in the country's main population centers, particularly the Andean region. In all departments, there are more general practitioners than specialists. Discussion. Our results are similar and are near the projections raised in previous studies. On the other hand, it is no coincidence that the departments where we find the lowest density of medical personnel have other shortcomings regarding resources and neglect of population needs. Multiple associations could be raised for these findings. It is pertinent to delve into the role of the general practitioner and their different fields of action since they represent most of the personnel available in the country. Conclusions. There is no reliable registry of medical personnel in Colombia. There is a centralization in the distribution of the registration of doctors in the country, both for the total number of doctors, general practitioners, and specialist physicians. Knowing the supply of doctors contributes to subsequent decision-making in public health policy.