Human Resources Availability in the Czech Health Care System
Ludwig O. Dittrich, Czech University of Life Science Prague, Czech Republic
Dana Stara,Czech University of Life Science Prague, Czech Republic
Abstract Text:
The paper analyzes the dynamic of the change and the potential severity of the shortage of physicians and other health care professionals in the Czech Republic.
Czech health care sector is facing shortage of the health care personnel. The gap between available and needed health care personnel is temporarily covered by the rise in the overtime work. The situation is likely to get worse. The economic theory suggests that differences in the income levels are expected to be a major factor in the migration decision-making process with open access for Czech physicians to a labor market in all EU countries and no limitation on employment in EU countries, even in those countries which implemented, during „transition“ period, temporary limitations on immigration. International job recruitment agencies are very active in seeking possible migrants among Czech physicians. Czech physicians are in demand especially in Great Britain, Ireland and Germany. As a result, the average age of physicians in Czech Republic is rising and young physicians are migrating to Western Europe in search of higher salaries and better working conditions. They can be only partly replaced by physicians and nurses from source countries such as Slovakia and Ukraine.
In order to analyze the dynamic of change of human resources in the health care sector of Czech Republic, we work with time series of employment in different health professions. Analysis uses data from the Institute of Health Information and Statistics and with financial data of Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Finance.
Results support the hypothesis that in some health care professions, the system is facing erosion in quantity and quality of health care workers. It implies that in some medical specialties the accessibility to care is worsening and in the future, the process is likely to accelerate.
Short term and intermediate term solution may indeed lay in the increased rate of the immigration supported by appropriate government policies. Policies which may help to reverse the trend will be reviewed.