Strategy to overcome global shortage of medical staff

The head of the nation's biggest hospital yesterday explained how the UAE can overcome the worldwide shortage of medical staff, days after a report revealed that the number of doctors and nurses will have to double within a decade.

In 2006, it reported that 57 countries, most in Africa and Asia, face a severe health workforce crisis. It estimated that at least 2.4 million doctors and nurses and 1.9 health administrators are needed to fill the gap.

A report last week from the Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (HAAD) revealed the need to double the number of health staff in 10 years, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the global shortage of health workers has become a "crisis".

The HR in Healthcare Forum (17 - 20 October 2010) brings together Chief Human Resources Directors, Heads of HR and their unit supervisors to focus on topics of both strategic and practical interest in overcoming the staffing shortage - recruitment, retention, engagement, pay for performance, measuring performance and practices for solid induction programmes.

The event brings together some of the best hospitals in the region who are strategic in how they envision the healthcare staffing shortages and their stances to overcome this challenge. Attendees will gather to interact with healthcare staffing industry leaders and gather best practices on specific strategies that are integral to ensuring these challenges are addressed.

Our confirmed speaker faculty from Sheikh Khalifa Hospital, Apollo Hospital Group, Sanofi Aventis, King Fahad Military Complex, Clemenceau Medical Centre, International Hospital of Bahrain consider this event their must-attend event of the year.

As an HR professional you are challenged with developing robust and next generation recruitment, retention and engagement practices to meet the growing healthcare sector which is now estimated to be valued between $15 billion and $18bn and is expected to grow five-fold by 2025.