Skill Mix and Health Workforce Requirements to Support Medical Laboratory Services - ความต้องการกำลังคนในระดับผู้ช่วยสนับสนุน ด้านเทคนิคการแพทย์

Abstract

           The increase of medical laboratory service demand together with the shortages of medical technicians particularly at rural hospitals made the health managers look for an alternative skill mix of health workforce to deliver the qualified services accessible to people at reasonable cost. This study was aimed at assessing the potential of job delegation from medical technicians to medical technician assistants, skill mix as well as health workforce requirements to support medical laboratory services. Self administered questionnaire was used as a data collection tool, and all community, general and regional hospitals were the study sites. Of 729 hospitals staffed by medical technicians and medical technician assistants, 289 hospitals responded (39.4%). The results revealed that job delegation potentials ranged between 65 and 74 percent. In all, 65 percent of them found that the health system were in need of medical technician assistants who were trained for 2 years. The health workforce requirement based on the medical laboratory service workload indicated that, in addition to the existing health workforce, approximately 852 medical technicians and 1,423 medical technician assistants were still required. The required skill mix between medical technician to medical technician assistants were 1: 1.2-2 medical technician assistants depending on level of care. The results suggested that to run the health service system effectively at reasonable cost, skill mix between medical technicians and medical technician assistants is of importance. Increase the production as well as provide career progress of medical technician assistants are required.

Key words: medical laboratory services, medical technician assistants, health workforce requirements, medical technicians