Brugha et al provide convincing evidence that Ireland stills need to overcome many hurdles, including poor training and working experiences in Irish hospitals, before it can significantly improve its record on doctor retention. The findings reported by Brugha et al are particularly disappointing in light of the fact that Ireland implemented a doctor retention strategy in early 2015. Ultimately, doctor retention is important because it can help alleviate the health workforce shortages that many countries face currently and that are projected to worsen over the next decade. The purpose of this commentary is to highlight two additional strategies for alleviating health workforce shortages – expanding medical education and task shifting.
Brugha R, Clarke N, Hendrick L, Sweeney J. Doctor retention: a cross-sectional study of how Ireland has been losing the battle. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2020. doi:10.34172/ijhpm.2020.54
Scheffler RM, Campbell J, Cometto G, et al. Forecasting imbalances in the global health labor market and devising policy responses. Hum Resour Health. 2018;16(1):5. doi:10.1186/s12960-017-0264-6
Scheffler RM, Arnold DR. Projecting shortages and surpluses of doctors and nurses in the OECD: what looms ahead. Health Econ Policy Law. 2019;14(2):274-290. doi:10.1017/s174413311700055x
Iglehart JK. Expanding the role of advanced nurse practitioners--risks and rewards. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(20):1935-1941. doi:10.1056/NEJMhpr1301084
Fulton BD, Scheffler RM, Sparkes SP, Auh EY, Vujicic M, Soucat A. Health workforce skill mix and task shifting in low income countries: a review of recent evidence. Hum Resour Health. 2011;9:1. doi:10.1186/1478-4491-9-1
Arnold, D. R. (2021). Expanding Medical Education and Task Shifting; Comment on “Doctor Retention: A Cross-sectional Study of How Ireland Has Been Losing the Battle”. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 10(10), 664-666. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.218
MLA
Daniel R. Arnold. "Expanding Medical Education and Task Shifting; Comment on “Doctor Retention: A Cross-sectional Study of How Ireland Has Been Losing the Battle”", International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 10, 10, 2021, 664-666. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.218
HARVARD
Arnold, D. R. (2021). 'Expanding Medical Education and Task Shifting; Comment on “Doctor Retention: A Cross-sectional Study of How Ireland Has Been Losing the Battle”', International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 10(10), pp. 664-666. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.218
VANCOUVER
Arnold, D. R. Expanding Medical Education and Task Shifting; Comment on “Doctor Retention: A Cross-sectional Study of How Ireland Has Been Losing the Battle”. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 2021; 10(10): 664-666. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.218
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