The best person (or machine) for the job: Rethinking task
shifting in healthcare

J 2020

The best person (or machine) for the job: Rethinking task shifting in healthcare

SCHALKWYK, May CI van, Aleš BOUREK, Dionne Sofia KRINGOS, Luigi SICILIANI, Margaret M. BARRY et. al.

Basic information

Original name

The best person (or machine) for the job: Rethinking task shifting in healthcare

Name in Czech

Nejlepší osoba (nebo stroj) na danou práci: Nový pohled na delegování činností ve zdravotnictví

Authors

SCHALKWYK, May CI van (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Aleš BOUREK (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Dionne Sofia KRINGOS (528 Netherlands), Luigi SICILIANI (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Margaret M. BARRY (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Jan De MAESENEER (528 Netherlands) and Martin MCKEE (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)

Edition

Health Policy, Clare, Elsevier, 2020, 0168-8510

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

30304 Public and environmental health

Country of publisher

Ireland

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

odkaz na článek nakladatelství Elsevier v databázi Sciencedirect

Impact factor

Impact factor: 2.980

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14110/20:00118006

Organization unit

Faculty of Medicine

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2020.08.008

UT WoS

000594538300013

Keywords (in Czech)

zdravotní systémy; Evropa; zdravotní politika; task shifting; delegování úkolů

Keywords in English

Health systems; Europe; Health policy; Task shifting

Abstract

V originále

Globally, health systems are faced with the difficult challenge of how to get the best results with the often limited number of health workers available to them. Exacerbating this challenge is the task of meeting ever-changing needs of service users and managing unprecedented technological advances. The process of matching skills to changing needs and opportunities is termed task shifting. It involves questioning health service goals, what health workers do, asking if it can be done in a better way, and implementing change. Task shifting in healthcare is often conceptualised as a process of transferring responsibility for ‘simple’ tasks from high-skilled but scarce health workers to those with less expertise and lower pay, and predominantly viewed as a means to reduce costs and promote efficiency. Here we present a position paper based on the work and expertise of the European Commission Expert Panel on Effective ways of Investing in Health. It contends that this is over simplistic, and aims to provide a new task shifting framework, informed by relevant evidence, and a series of recommendations. While far from comprehensive, there is a growing body of evidence that certain tasks traditionally undertaken by one type of health worker can be undertaken by others (or machines), in some cases to a higher standard, thus challenging the persistence of rigid professional boundaries. Task shifting has the potential to contribute to health systems strengthening when accompanied by adequate planning, resources, education, training and transparency.

Citovat

SCHALKWYK, May CI van, Aleš BOUREK, Dionne Sofia KRINGOS, Luigi SICILIANI, Margaret M. BARRY, Jan De MAESENEER and Martin MCKEE. The best person (or machine) for the job: Rethinking task shifting in healthcare. Health Policy. Clare: Elsevier, 2020, vol. 124, No 12, p. 1379-1386. ISSN 0168-8510. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2020.08.008.

@article{1733595,
   author = {Schalkwyk, May CI van and Bourek, Aleš and Kringos, Dionne Sofia and Siciliani, Luigi and Barry, Margaret M. and Maeseneer, Jan De and McKee, Martin},
   article_location = {Clare},
   article_number = {12},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2020.08.008},
   keywords = {Health systems; Europe; Health policy; Task shifting},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0168-8510},
   journal = {Health Policy},
   title = {The best person (or machine) for the job: Rethinking task shifting in healthcare},
   url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168851020302189},
   volume = {124},
   year = {2020}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1733595
AU  - Schalkwyk, May CI van - Bourek, Aleš - Kringos, Dionne Sofia - Siciliani, Luigi - Barry, Margaret M. - Maeseneer, Jan De - McKee, Martin
PY  - 2020
TI  - The best person (or machine) for the job: Rethinking task shifting in healthcare
JF  - Health Policy
VL  - 124
IS  - 12
SP  - 1379-1386
EP  - 1379-1386
PB  - Elsevier
SN  - 01688510
KW  - Health systems
KW  - Europe
KW  - Health policy
KW  - Task shifting
UR  - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168851020302189
L2  - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168851020302189
N2  - Globally, health systems are faced with the difficult challenge of how to get the best results with the often limited number of health workers available to them. Exacerbating this challenge is the task of meeting ever-changing needs of service users and managing unprecedented technological advances. The process of matching skills to changing needs and opportunities is termed task shifting. It involves questioning health service goals, what health workers do, asking if it can be done in a better way, and implementing change. Task shifting in healthcare is often conceptualised as a process of transferring responsibility for ‘simple’ tasks from high-skilled but scarce health workers to those with less expertise and lower pay, and predominantly viewed as a means to reduce costs and promote efficiency. Here we present a position paper based on the work and expertise of the European Commission Expert Panel on Effective ways of Investing in Health. It contends that this is over simplistic, and aims to provide a new task shifting framework, informed by relevant evidence, and a series of recommendations. While far from comprehensive, there is a growing body of evidence that certain tasks traditionally undertaken by one type of health worker can be undertaken by others (or machines), in some cases to a higher standard, thus challenging the persistence of rigid professional boundaries. Task shifting has the potential to contribute to health systems strengthening when accompanied by adequate planning, resources, education, training and transparency.
ER  -

SCHALKWYK, May CI van, Aleš BOUREK, Dionne Sofia KRINGOS, Luigi SICILIANI, Margaret M. BARRY, Jan De MAESENEER and Martin MCKEE. The best person (or machine) for the job: Rethinking task shifting in healthcare. \textit{Health Policy}. Clare: Elsevier, 2020, vol.~124, No~12, p.~1379-1386. ISSN~0168-8510. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2020.08.008.

Detailed Information on Publication Record