Abstract
Physician maldistribution affects remote and rural population health indicators and as such constitutes a major concern for health systems. Various countries, including Israel, have sought to remedy this problem, often by implementing more than one intervention simultaneously. In this paper, we explored the considerations that motivated Israeli residents to opt for a position in the periphery, as well as potential factors that could facilitate their retention in these underserved areas. We found that the motivation driving young physicians to specialize in a specific hospital includes personal- and family-oriented considerations (proximity to the nuclear family, perceived quality of life and lifestyle) as well as professional considerations (prior acquaintance with a hospital and a specific hospital department, department characteristics, availability of a residence position in a preferred specialty, prospective professional advancement). We therefore argue that the key to recruitment and retention of young physicians in remote areas lies in tailored interventions that take personal, professional and regional issues into account, preferably in consultation with the physicians themselves. The prominence of personal issues in the interviews with young physicians suggests that effective interventions should support a work-life balance. Hence success in attracting residents as a first step towards correcting physician maldistribution hinges upon coordinating policies in the medical field with policies in non-medical arenas - education, welfare, local authorities.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 104795 |
Journal | Health Policy |
Volume | 132 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This study was supported by the Israel National Institute for Health Policy Research (Grant Number 142/2013 ).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023
Keywords
- Israel
- Physician maldistribution
- Policy interventions
- Practice placement
- Recruitment of physicians
- Retention of physicians
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Health Policy