Eastern Europe & Central Asia

This article proposes a performance appraisal based on competency models of leadership for a larger professional group working across several different organizations, yet in similar professional and institutional environments. The empirical data in this article are based on two surveys that were conducted in 15 Slovenian public hospitals. [from abstract]

This report explores the role of strategic planning in Turkey’s successful transformation of its health sector since 2002. It analyses the evolution of strategic planning for health from an informal tool to an official and highly structured process that closely follows the steps identified in accepted models of strategic planning. [from abstract]

The aim of this study is to analyse the distribution of physicians, GPs and specialists between the years 1965-2000 and the efficiency of the strict 15 year government intervention (1981-1995). [from abstract]

The article aims to evaluate the current state of sexual and reproductive health policy regarding sexual and
reproductive health service and reproductive rights for most at risk adolescent/youth. The training of trainers and
local trainings present the nature of major challenges in service provision and the quality of services in the light of
findings from international trainings conducted in Turkey and Tajikistan. [from abstract]

Cardiovascular diseases are the predominant cause of death in Tajikistan, with a growing burden of ischemic heart disease, strokes and cirrhosis between 1990 and 2010. Considering this, this report focuses on cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors, such as hypertension and poor nutrition; it is estimated that 40% of the Tajik population is overweight and 9% is obese. [from abstract]

The aim of this study is to define the research capacity and training needs for professionals working on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the public health arena in Turkey. [from abstract]

Access to medical staff differs across Europe. In 2011, the country that had the smallest number of physicians in all European Union was Poland. During last ten years, the number of doctors per capita increased in all European countries except Poland and Estonia. The aim of the study is to analyse the availability of medical staff in Poland and selected EU countries in the years 2003-2011. [from abstract]

This paper aims to explore the reasons for migration of health workers from sub-Saharan Africa to Belgium and Austria; European countries without a history of active recruitment in sub-Saharan Africa. [from abstract]

Health systems in Europe face a number of increasingly complex challenges. Globalization, evolving health threats, an ageing society, financial constraints on government spending, and social and health inequalities are some of the most pressing. This policy summary aims to outline these needs and to consider measures and options towards meeting them. [adapted from summary]

This study identified variables that were significantly related to physician and nurse employment rates in the public healthcare sector in Serbia from 1961 to 2008 and used these to develop parameters to model physician and nurse supply in the public healthcare sector through to 2015. [from abstract]

The purpose of this study is to inform stakeholders about the current status of social work in the region, describe the practice environment, identify gaps between what is expected of social workers and the reality, provide examples of best practices, and make recommendations for furthering the development of social work in the region. [from summary]

At the middle-management level, leaders are often selected for their clinical expertise and not their management skills. The purpose of this study was to examine how leaders at the middle-management level work with people in health-care. [adapted from abstract]

The study aims to investigate the relationship between turnover intentions and job satisfaction among Czech and Slovak nurses and to determine how the related variables differ between the two groups. [from abstract]

This research evaluated whether it would be feasible to use virtual patients (VPs), a learning system designed to simulate encounters between a patient and a healthcare professional, for and educational program in a medical school in Romanian, with cases in English and developed in a non-Romanian setting.

The objective of this study was to assess attitudes towards clinical practice guidelines, as well as the barriers and facilitators to their use, among Estonian physicians. The study was conducted to inform the revision of the clinical practice guideline development process and can provide inspiration to other countries considering the increasing use of evidence-based medicine. [from abstract]

This online training manual containing background information, handouts, exercises and powerpoint presentations to train health professionals on gender-based violence. [from publisher]

As there is considerable uncertainty whether the scale of emigration of health workers in Poland will continue at the current rate, increase or decrease in coming years, this cross-sectional survey assess the most likely scale of emigration of Polish doctors and identifies the characteristics of potential migrants. [from author]

This study examined work related characteristics, work-home and home-work interference and burnout among Serbian primary healthcare physicians and compared burnout levels with other medical doctors in European Union countries. [from abstract]

The explicit need to focus on quality of care underpins the aim of this study to evaluate the safety culture and teamwork climate in the public maternity units of the 5 regional hospitals in Cyprus as measured by a validated safety attitudes tool. [from abstract]

The Primary Care Evaluation Tool is an instrument developed to examine the supply and demand-side aspects of primary care (PC). It is intended to support ministries of health and other stakeholders in monitoring the progress of their PC-related policies and reforms and to set new priorities on the basis of evidence-based information with the aim of further strengthening PC. This report gives an overview on the findings of the tool in Serbia. [adapted from abstract]

The objective of this study was to investigate how medical and nursing staff of the Nicosia General Hospital is affected by specific motivation factors, and the association between job satisfaction and motivation; and to determine the motivational drive of socio-demographic and job related factors in terms of improving work performance. [from abstract]

Against the background of the development of palliative care in Austria the authors undertook this survey to identify the preferences of the general pracitioners’ and nurses’ regarding the specific design of training seminars in palliative care. We wanted to gain a better insight into which educational topics, timeframe, location and group designs are likely to attract a majority of different professional groups. [from author]

There is not only a lack of human resources for health in Hungary, but significant inequalities are widespread, including in geographical distribution. This report, based on research carried out in 2008, deals with the willingness of young doctors to work outside Budapest. [adapted from abstract]

Few countries require that physicians demonstrate explicitly that they remain fit to practice. The term revalidation is defined as an evaluation of a medical practitioner’s fitness to practise. Although this definition focuses on assessment, it is recognized that the process leading up to it should be formative, encouraging professional development as well as identifying those unfit to practice. [adapted from author]

This video resource details the social, economic and health care services disparities between urban and rural areas of Tajikistan and how women there struggle with their health and the role of men, or the lack thereof, in supporting them. [adapted from synopsis]

This presentation outlines the main issues surrounding the health workforce in Romania and describes the effects of primary health care reforms.

HPI conducted a survey in Ukraine to test indicators and questions regarding HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination at the facility/provider level. This research examined HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination by providers of general medical services in three regions in Ukraine. [from summary]

This brief synthesizes best practices in achieving reproductive health and family planning (RH/FP) goals for the Europe and Eurasia region, and highlights the role of the private sector in meeting these goals. [from author]

Increased immunization coverage is an important step towards fulfilling the Millennium Development Goal of reducing childhood mortality. Recent cross-sectional and cross-national research has indicated that physician, nurse and midwife densities may positively influence immunization coverage. However, little is known about relationships between densities of HRH and vaccination coverage within developing countries and over time. This study examines HRH densities and coverage of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in Turkey from 2000 to 2006. [from abstract]

Incentives such as P4P can be very powerful in their effects. Caution in their design and deployment is essential. However, ignoring their potential would be unwise, as they offer the possibility of improving value for money for taxpayers and patients. The first section of the paper will review evidence of common provider problems in all health care systems and their implications for introducing a P4P system. This will be followed by a review of P4P reforms in the United Kingdom and United States in particular. [from author]