LESSONS ON GOALS

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Is it feasible to plan health the workforce without setting any objectives to be achieved?

The seven experiences analyzed have shown that, basically, health workforce planning requires sharing principles before, then agree on specific objectives, such as:

  1. Universal coverage;
  2. Affordability;
  3. Effectiveness;
  4. Imbalances are not an option, as they are a threat to the coverage and quality;
  5. Education and not immigration to meet Healthcare needs.

In health workforce planning there are basically two dimensions to consider:

  1. the targeted quantities for any health profession;
  2. the year in which these set quantities are to be accomplished.

Minimum planning requirements for a better planning process are:

  • Define and agree with stakeholders on planning principles;
  • Turn planning principles into operational objectives;
  • Set targets regarding, at least, the amounts of health professionals needed and the year in which these amounts are to be accomplished;
  • Ensure to start the process with an assessment of the current situation on the basis of which to define future goals;
  • Be transparent and communicate principles, assumptions and targets to the stakeholders;
  • Make a comprehensive analysis of the future health needs of the population and of the skills mix needed to deliver planned health services in the future in order to have added value information to set the goals;
  • Identify and address unintended adverse policy interactions before setting the goals;
  • Be sure that different Ministries share and agree the objectives so to increase the probability to reach the results expected;
  • Set goals that are SMART.

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