Health Policy
Volume 114, Issue 2-3, 2014, Pages 97-108

Health professionals moving to... and from Portugal (Review)

Ribeiro J.S. , Conceição C. , Pereira J. , Leone C. , Mendonça P. , Temido M. , Vieira C.P. , Dussault G.*
  • a CMDT, Centre for Malaria and Other Tropical Diseases, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal, CES, Centre for Social Studies and Faculdade de Economia, Universidade de Coimbra, Colégio de S. Jerónimo Apartado 3087, 3000-995 Coimbra, Portugal
  • b Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal, ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
  • c CMDT, Centre for Malaria and Other Tropical Diseases, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
  • d CMDT, Centre for Malaria and Other Tropical Diseases, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
  • e Divino Espírito Santo de Ponta Delgada Hospital, Rua Grotinha, 9500-370 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
  • f CMDT, Centre for Malaria and Other Tropical Diseases, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
  • g Directorate General of Health, Alameda D. Afonso Henriques, 45, 1049-005 Lisboa, Portugal, Higher School of Health, Instituto Politécnico de Beja, Rua Pedro Soares, s/n, 7800-295 Beja, Portugal
  • h International Public Health and Biostatistics Unit, CMDT, Centre for Malaria and Other Tropical Diseases, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract

The mobility of health professionals in the European Union is a phenomenon which policy-makers must take into account to provide the conditions to adjust for demand and supply of health services. This paper presents the case of Portugal, a country which at the same time imports and exports health workers. Since the early 1990s Portugal became a destination country receiving foreign health care professionals. This situation is now changing with the current economic situation as fewer immigrants come and more Portuguese emigrate.Foreigners coming to Portugal do so in part for similar reasons that bring Portuguese to want to emigrate, mainly the search for better work conditions and professional development opportunities. The emigration of Portuguese health professionals is also stimulated by the difficulty for recently graduated nurses, dentists and diagnostic and therapeutic technicians to find employment, low salaries in the public and private sectors, heavy workloads, remuneration not related to performance and poor career prospects.The paradoxes described in this study illustrate the consequences of the absence of a policy for the health professions. Strategies based on evidence, and on an integrated information system that captures the dynamic evolution of the workforce in health are not only necessary but also a good investment. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Author Keywords

Health personnel Immigration mobility Emigration

Index Keywords

Health Personnel professional development immigrant Foreign Professional Personnel health care policy Portugal health care personnel human statistics and numerical data health service geographic distribution Atlantic islands national health service career mobility foreign worker Humans personnel management workload Review European Union medical education medical profession organization and management Personnel Turnover migration information system remuneration trade union Emigration and Immigration Health Policy health center Transients and Migrants employment health practitioner medical student
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84892674616&doi=10.1016%2fj.healthpol.2013.05.009&partnerID=40&md5=38d2cbee85b22f097b13fa8d15e852e9
DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2013.05.009
ISSN: 01688510
Cited by: 14
Original Language: English