Economics and Markets
The economic crisis of 2008 had profound effects on health care systems and those bodies that regulate the professions (Benton, 2011). Countries struggling to bring their national debt under control have had to cut back significantly on public spending. For jurisdictions where the budget of regulators is controlled by government, regulators have been confronted with reductions in budget (Federation of State Medical Boards, 2008). Additionally, Med-Emerg Inc. (2005) noted that when there are no permanent full-time positions or working conditions do not meet the professional’s expectations, professionals may leave and seek work in another jurisdiction.
In addition, market changes driven by the realization that health care is consuming too much of many nations’ resources are taking place (Pew Health Professions Commission, 1995a). These market forces shape the structure of delivery systems that are seeking to limit costs by changing scopes of practice and altering the private/public mix of service provision (Pew Health Professions Commission, 1995b).