Recruitment and retention of health professionals across Europe: A literature review and multiple case study research

TY - JOUR

T1 - Recruitment and retention of health professionals across Europe

T2 - A literature review and multiple case study research

AU - Kroezen, Marieke

AU - Dussault, Gilles

AU - Craveiro, Isabel

AU - Dieleman, Marjolein

AU - Jansen, Christel

AU - Buchan, James

AU - Barriball, Louise

AU - Rafferty, Anne Marie

AU - Bremner, Jeni

AU - Sermeus, Walter

PY - 2015/5/14

Y1 - 2015/5/14

N2 - Many European countries are faced with health workforce shortages and the need to develop effective recruitment and retention (R&R) strategies. Yet comparative studies on R&R in Europe are scarce. This paper provides an overview of the measures in place to improve the R&R of health professionals across Europe and offers further insight into the evidence base for R&R; the interaction between policy and organisational levels in driving R&R outcomes; the facilitators and barriers throughout these process; and good practices in the R&R of health professionals across Europe. The study adopted a multi-method approach combining an extensive literature review and multiple-case study research. 64 publications were included in the review and 34 R&R interventions from 20 European countries were included in the multiple-case study. We found a consistent lack of evidence about the effectiveness of R&R interventions. Most interventions are not explicitly part of a coherent package of measures but they tend to involve multiple actors from policy and organisational levels, sometimes in complex configurations. A list of good practices for R&R interventions was identified, including context-sensitivity when implementing and transferring interventions to different organisations and countries. While single R&R interventions on their own have little impact, bundles of interventions are more effective. Interventions backed by political and executive commitment benefit from a strong support base and involvement of relevant stakeholders.

AB - Many European countries are faced with health workforce shortages and the need to develop effective recruitment and retention (R&R) strategies. Yet comparative studies on R&R in Europe are scarce. This paper provides an overview of the measures in place to improve the R&R of health professionals across Europe and offers further insight into the evidence base for R&R; the interaction between policy and organisational levels in driving R&R outcomes; the facilitators and barriers throughout these process; and good practices in the R&R of health professionals across Europe. The study adopted a multi-method approach combining an extensive literature review and multiple-case study research. 64 publications were included in the review and 34 R&R interventions from 20 European countries were included in the multiple-case study. We found a consistent lack of evidence about the effectiveness of R&R interventions. Most interventions are not explicitly part of a coherent package of measures but they tend to involve multiple actors from policy and organisational levels, sometimes in complex configurations. A list of good practices for R&R interventions was identified, including context-sensitivity when implementing and transferring interventions to different organisations and countries. While single R&R interventions on their own have little impact, bundles of interventions are more effective. Interventions backed by political and executive commitment benefit from a strong support base and involvement of relevant stakeholders.

KW - Europe

KW - Health human resources

KW - Health professionals

KW - Literature review

KW - Multiple case study

KW - Recruitment and retention

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84940093187&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.healthpol.2015.08.003

DO - 10.1016/j.healthpol.2015.08.003

M3 - Article

SN - 0168-8510

JO - HEALTH POLICY

JF - HEALTH POLICY

ER -