Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................... VII
PREFACE ........................................................................................................................ IX
PART I – THE THAI HEALTH SYSTEM AND HEALTH WORKFORCE ............ 1
1.1 THE HEALTH SYSTEM CONTEXT ......................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
1.1.1 Environmental context ......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
(1) Economic situation and health financing ........................................................... 1
(2) Demographic and epidemiological changes ...................................................... 2
(3) Public reform and health policy ........................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2 THAILAND’S HEALTH WORKFORCE............................................................................. 5
1.2.1 Existing health workforce ................................................................................... 6
1.2.2 Health workforce production.............................................................................. 7
PART II – HEALTH WORKFORCE CHALLENGES AND A REVIEW OF
POLICY EXPERIENCES................................................................................................ 8
2.1 THE INEQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF HEALTH WORKERS AND STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE
EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION ................................................................................................ 8
(1) Educational strategies ........................................................................................... 8
(2) Compulsory strategies ........................................................................................... 9
(3) Motivation and management strategies ................................................................. 9
3.1 Financial motivation .......................................................................................... 9
3.2 Non-financial motivation................................................................................... 9
2.2 EVOLUTION AND IMPACTS OF STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION .. 10
(1) Phase 1: The 1st-3rd National Health Plans ......................................................... 10
(2) Phase 2: The 4th-5th National Health Plans ......................................................... 12
(3) Phase 3: The 6th-7th National Health Plans ......................................................... 15
(4) Phase 4: The 8th-9th National Health Plans 17
2.3 THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION: RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES
................................................................................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
(1) Economic Growth Phase ...................................................................................... 19
(2) Economic Crisis Phase ........................................................................................ 20
(3) Medical Tourism Phase ....................................................................................... 21
2.4 MEETING FUTURE NEEDS ......................................................................................... 22
2.5 MANAGING THE HEALTH WORKFORCE IN A DECENTRALIZED CONTEXT .................... 26
PART III – KEY LESSONS AND FUTURE CHALLENGES .................................. 27
REFERENCES................................................................................................................ 29