Effective physician retention strategies in Norway's northernmost county.
نویسندگان
چکیده
PROBLEM Retaining physicians in remote settings can be challenging owing to the heavy workload and harsh environmental conditions and to the lack of opportunities for professional development. In Norway, poor physician distribution between urban and rural areas has been persistent, particularly in the north, where in 1997 a total of 28% of the primary care physician positions were vacant. APPROACH Several corrective measures have been tried over the years. One was the establishment of a medical school in the northern city of Tromsø, which proved effective but did not avert new crises. A 1998 survey among primary care physicians signalled the need for new interventions conducive to professional development in rural areas. The existing medical internship and in-service training model for general practice were systematically adopted as tools for retaining physicians. LOCAL SETTING In Finnmark - Norway's northernmost and most sparsely-populated county - medical practice is challenging, especially at the primary care level. In 1997, a 38% shortage of general practitioners (30 positions) threatened primary care safety. RELEVANT CHANGES Almost twice as many medical interns as expected now take their first fully licensed job in the north of Norway. The post-training retention of primary care physicians after 5 years currently stands at 65%. LESSONS LEARNT Postgraduate medical training can be conducted in remote areas in a manner that ensures professional development, counteracts professional isolation, and allows trainees and their families to grow roots in rural communities. Rural practice satisfies modern principles of adult learning (problem-based and attached to real-life situations) and offers excellent training conditions.
منابع مشابه
Regional differences in renal replacement therapy in northern Norway 2000–2012
OBJECTIVES Distance from residence location to a centre for renal replacement therapy (RRT) may influence patients' quality of life and prognosis. Northern Norway constitutes 45% of Norway's landmass, but has less than 10% of the population. METHODS In this study, we analysed all patients in northern Norway consecutively registered in the Norwegian Renal Registry during 2000-2012. A total of ...
متن کاملThe lifelong iterative process of physician retention.
The National Physician and Nurse Supply Survey revealed that among hospital CEO respondents, 68 percent view physician shortages as a serious problem that must be addressed (Caldwell 2007). In the last column (Cohn and Harlow 2009), we outlined ways that the recruiting process could differentiate hospitals and alleviate physician shortages. In this column, we address the challenges of physician...
متن کاملHigh prevalence of overweight and obesity among 6-year-old children in Finnmark County, North Norway.
AIM The aim was to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among 6-year-old children in Finnmark, the northernmost county of Norway. METHODS This is a survey of 1774 children born during 1999 and 2000 from 18 of 19 child healthcare centres in Finnmark. Body mass index data extracted retrospectively in 2007 from health records at the age of 6 years were compared with international d...
متن کاملPhysician retention in rural Alberta: key community factors.
OBJECTIVES As part of a larger case study exploring physician retention factors and strategies employed by rural communities, the objective of this analysis was to explore the community factors that promoted physician retention. METHODS A qualitative, collective case study design was employed to study four rural communities (cases) in Alberta that retained family physicians for four years or ...
متن کاملذخیره در منابع من
با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید
عنوان ژورنال:
- Bulletin of the World Health Organization
دوره 88 5 شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 2010