Building capacity for equitable healthcare workforce policy, learning from migrant healthcare workers: A qualitative study with Romanian physicians working in Germany during COVID-19.
COVID-19 pandemic
Germany and Romania
circular migration policy
healthcare workforce policy
migrant healthcare workers
migration and mobility patterns
Journal
The International journal of health planning and management
ISSN: 1099-1751
Titre abrégé: Int J Health Plann Manage
Pays: England
ID NLM: 8605825
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
13 Feb 2024
13 Feb 2024
Historique:
revised:
31
01
2024
received:
21
07
2023
accepted:
06
02
2024
medline:
13
2
2024
pubmed:
13
2
2024
entrez:
13
2
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
Attention to the healthcare workforce has increased, yet comprehensive information on migrant healthcare workers is missing. This study focuses on migrant healthcare workers' experiences and mobility patterns in the middle of a global health crisis, aiming to explore the capacity for circular migration and support effective and equitable healthcare workforce policy. Romanian physicians working in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic served as an empirical case study. We applied a qualitative explorative approach; interviews (n = 21) were collected from mid of September to early November 2022 and content analysis was performed. Migrant physicians showed strong resilience during the COVID-19 crisis and rarely complained. Commitment to high professional standards and career development were major pull factors towards Germany, while perceptions of limited career choices, nepotism and corruption in Romania caused strong push mechanisms. We identified two major mobility patterns that may support circular migration policies: well-integrated physicians with a wish to give something back to their home country, and mobile cosmopolitan physicians who flexibly balance career opportunities and personal/family interests. Health policy must establish systematic monitoring of the migrant healthcare workforce including actor-centred approaches, support integration in destination countries as well as health system development in sending countries, and invest in evidence-based circular migration policy.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Attention to the healthcare workforce has increased, yet comprehensive information on migrant healthcare workers is missing. This study focuses on migrant healthcare workers' experiences and mobility patterns in the middle of a global health crisis, aiming to explore the capacity for circular migration and support effective and equitable healthcare workforce policy.
METHODS
METHODS
Romanian physicians working in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic served as an empirical case study. We applied a qualitative explorative approach; interviews (n = 21) were collected from mid of September to early November 2022 and content analysis was performed.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
CONCLUSIONS
Migrant physicians showed strong resilience during the COVID-19 crisis and rarely complained. Commitment to high professional standards and career development were major pull factors towards Germany, while perceptions of limited career choices, nepotism and corruption in Romania caused strong push mechanisms. We identified two major mobility patterns that may support circular migration policies: well-integrated physicians with a wish to give something back to their home country, and mobile cosmopolitan physicians who flexibly balance career opportunities and personal/family interests. Health policy must establish systematic monitoring of the migrant healthcare workforce including actor-centred approaches, support integration in destination countries as well as health system development in sending countries, and invest in evidence-based circular migration policy.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Subventions
Organisme : Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
Informations de copyright
© 2024 The Authors. The International Journal of Health Planning and Management published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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