Group IV: The Demand of Health Care Professionals in the

Philippines
Flow of Report and Discussion Outline
I. Opening Prayer
II. Introduction of Group Members
III. Discussion Proper: Outline
A. Introduction
1. Definition of terms
A health professional is an individual who provides preventive, curative, promotional or
rehabilitative health care services in a systematic way to people, families or communities.
Health care practitioners include physicians, dentists, pharmacists, physician assistants, nurses
(including advanced practice registered nurses), surgeons, surgeon's assistant and etc. They play a
central and critical role in improving access and quality health care for the population.
(Retrieved from http://www.who.int/hrh/professionals/en/)
2. Background of Health and the Demand for Health Care Professionals (in
relation to News Articles)
The aging health care workforce and aging population, combined with health care reform, will
increase demand for many health care professionals and expand the roles and necessary skill sets
for existing professionals. These growth areas include nurses, physicians, medical assistants,
nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.Highly related to the demand for services, provider
agencies must maintain a workforce of professionals adequate to meet the health care needs that
confront them.
A group of doctors has sounded the alarm again on the shortage of physicians in the country and
called on the Department of Health (DoH) to address the situation especially in rural areas. We
have a crisis and unless we do something to solve this healthcare crisis,
everyone is going to suffer, Dr. Antonio Dans, president of Philippine Society
of General Internal Medicine (PSGIM) told the press in a forum at Quezon City
on Tuesday.
DoH revealed that there are approximately three doctors for every 10,000 population. This means
the physicians could only give a meager five minute consultation time with patients. (Photo by
Ali Vikoy). Data from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) pegged
the total number of licensed doctors at 72,000. Placed side by side the
current Philippine population of more or less 100 million, this means there
are roughly seven doctors for every 10,000 Filipinos; a stark contrast to the
ideal ratio of one doctor for every 1,000 population.
The problems of healthcare workforce are in need of long-term, system-wide
solutions, if we are to overcome the nations health crisis. Not only do we
need to recruit more health workers and retain them within our shores, but
we also must better regulate the workforce, retrain them, redistribute their
deployments, and reassess the direction of present health policy, Dans
added.

DoH undersecretary Teodoro Herbosa said the Health Human Resources bureau of the DoH
revealed that there are approximately three doctors for every 10,000 population. This means the
physicians could only give a meager five minute consultation time with patients.The situation
is worse in rural settings where an estimated three doctors are serving
100,000 population.
(Manongdo, J. 2014, February 11. Doctors highlight shortage of physicians. Retrieved from
http://www.mb.com.ph/doctors-highlight-shortage-of-physicians/)
The report, "A universal truth: No health without a workforce", identifies several key causes.
They include an ageing health workforce with staff retiring or leaving for better paid jobs without
being replaced, while inversely, not enough young people are entering the profession or being
adequately trained. Increasing demands are also being put on the sector from a growing world
population with risks of noncommunicable diseases (e.g. cancer, heart disease, stroke etc.)
increasing. Internal and international migration of health workers is also exacerbating regional
imbalances.
(Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2013/health-workforceshortage/en/)
B. Statistics
1.
World Statistic (WHO, AAMC,BLS, DTTL )
(Sources: Nursing and Allied Health Care Professionals Workforce Survey Report.2013. New
York's Health Care Sector A Changing, Growing Workforce:Demand Continues for Healthcare
Professionals. Retrieved from
https://www.hanys.org/workforce/survey/reports/2013_nursing_allied_workforce_survey_report.
pdf) (Michigan Health Council. 2012. Spotlight on Allied Health Careers in 2012. Retrieved from
http://www.mhc.org/Portals/michiganhealthcouncil/downloads/spotlightOnAlliedFinal.pdf)
2.
Philippine Statistic (DOH, WHO, FHSISAR)
( World Health Organization. 2011. Health Systems in Transition:The
Philippines Health System Review. Vol 1. No.2. Retrieved from
http://www.wpro.who.int/philippines/areas/health_systems/financing/philippin
es_health_system_review.pdf)
(Retrieved from http://www.aim.edu/files/download/131)
3.
Region VII Statistics (DOH, WHO, FHSISAR)
( World Health Organization. 2011. Health Systems in Transition:The Philippines Health System
Review. Vol 1. No.2. Retrieved from
http://www.wpro.who.int/philippines/areas/health_systems/financing/philippines_health_system_
review.pdf)
(Retrieved from http://www.aim.edu/files/download/131)
C. Factors affecting the demand health care professional Demands
1. Human Resources
2. Economics/ Financial Resources
3. Education
4. Demographic location and Migration
5. Work organization
6. Individual and cultural attitude and values
7. Technology
8. Aging Population
(Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/about/policy/workforce-2.pdf)

(http://www.rcmvs.org/documentos/IOM_EMM/resources/IOM_HealthWorkerMigration.pdf)
D. Ice Breaker
E. Implications and Effects on Society
The shortage of healthcare workers, if not addressed now, will have serious implications for the
health of billions of people across` all regions of the world, the WHO says. There is a direct
relationship between the ratio of health workers to population and survival of women
during childbirth and children in early infancy. As the number of health
workers declines, survival declines proportionately.
(Retrieved from http://www.unep.org/training/programmes/Instructor
%20Version/Part_2/Activities/Dimensions_of_Human_WellBeing/Health/Supplemental/Global_Shortage_of_Health_Workers.pdf
(http://www.aha.org/content/00-10/FcgWorkforceReport.pdf)
F. Possible Outcome and consequences in future
(Retrieved from http://www.academyhealth.org/files/HCFO/findings0809.pdf)
G. Government Response
(Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2413249/)
(http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/nursing-shortage-resources/AHA_Trend_Watch_601.pdf)
(http://www.unep.org/training/programmes/Instructor
%20Version/Part_2/Activities/Dimensions_of_Human_WellBeing/Health/Supplemental/Global_Shortage_of_Health_Workers.pdf)
H. Conclusion
IV. Video clip presentation (optional)
V.
Evaluation

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Group IV Members:
Brent Von Jerome D. Alcantara
Siegfred J. Tejeros
Rosel Estoreon
Lilani Mae Tabada
Kidd Barot
Earl Ivanne Mon T. Espejo
Shean Kyle Canaveral
Divine Glory P. Malbuyo
Nestlyn Mae Yvonne Camina