Management of health care workforce: Conceptualizing a structural model of human resource planning in healthcare in Slovenia

Abstract

The healthcare system’s effectiveness depends mainly on healthcare workers’ knowledge, skills, and motivation, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Systematic planning of human resources is, therefore, an essential prerequisite for ensuring the sustainability and efficiency of the health care system. This article outlines a structural human resource planning model in health care and explores the complexities involved. A detailed analytical framework is proposed, drawing on various materials and evidence to outline the factors that influence human resource planning in health care. The in-depth analytical process employs an extensive literature review to provide greater credibility to research findings. It investigates numerous sources and materials, both in national and international contexts. The purpose of human resource planning initiatives in healthcare is to calculate the needed number of healthcare workers in the future based on past and current data and assumptions about future supply and demand trends. The research findings reveal this is a very challenging task, as there are typically many unknowns when planning for the future. In addition, planners often need more reliable data and systemic deficiencies. Furthermore, the study shows that unplanned and delayed solutions concerning human resource needs in healthcare can only alleviate problems. Still, they cannot replace effective strategic measures and timely structural changes within the healthcare ecosystem.

Keywords

• Human resource management
• health care system
• structural model
• planning
• health care workforce
• analysis