The world is moving, and the world is aging—and these trends collide when it comes to health care providers for aging citizens. Recent immigrants from Mexico seek training so they can perform health care work in the United States. In New Zealand, well over 35 percent of doctors are foreign-trained. Canada is actively encouraging health care migrants from India to fill growing gaps in coverage.
Meanwhile, in Hungary, medical workers are leaving the country in droves, creating a health-worker shortage. Some 36 countries in Africa face severe health care worker shortages. Even “source” countries, such as India (largest source of doctors) and the Philippines (largest source of nurses) face shortages, particularly in rural parts of their countries. And Japan revised its longstanding approach against allowing migrant workers to ensure support for its aging population.
The problem is big enough that the World Health Organization launched, in 2010, a Global Code of Practice to ensure balance in the midst of this shifting workforce. Host countries are expected to give equal rights to migrant workers as home-grown workers. Countries adopting the code should commit to helping countries with shortages alongside their efforts to ensure their own health care needs will be met.
The WHO Code touches on a less-acknowledged element regarding the migration of health care talent: cultural clashes. How do these professionals fare when they leave their home country? While their skills are valued on a macro level, are they, as individuals, welcomed and fully supported by their neighbors?
More to ponder: What is the long term prognosis for countries? Many remain in their host country, sinking roots, and further globalizing our already shrinking globe. At least, that’s what often happens in host countries. What will be the fate of sending countries, particularly the smaller, poorer ones in Africa and Asia?
Similarly, what happens in rural areas in India and the Philippines, where doctors and care are sparse? One good guess is that people will continue to migrate away from their rural homes into the cities.
Perhaps the most interesting question—an answer to which remains to be seen—is, will all this migration be enough? Even if it is managed well, and workers go where they are needed, and existing shortages are resolved… longer term, what happens? The world is aging. Health care will be needed.
About the Author
Susan Welch is the executive director of Diversity Best Practices.
Follow Diversity Best Practices' coverage of health care issues on Twitter @DBPHealthcare.
Read more Diversity Blogs.
