Balancing Doctor Mobility and Public Health Delivery: Human Resources for Health in Latvia

Healthcare systems across Europe face increasingly complex challenges that demand innovative responses. Public health is now widely acknowledged as a determinant of population well‐being and as a significant contributor to national economies. In Latvia, the large‐scale out‐migration of healthcare practitioners represents one of the most pressing issues confronting the national health sector. This trend has intensified since the country’s accession to the European Union in 2004, as healthcare practitioners leave in search of better working conditions and higher wages abroad. The resulting shortage of medical professionals threatens the stability of the healthcare system as well as the wider economy. The aim of this study is to understand the dynamics and causes of the emigration of healthcare practitioners, particularly medical doctors, and to examine the role of the state in preventing this trend to ensure balanced doctor mobility and effective public health delivery. The article places particular emphasis on the position of young doctors, who are critical to the sustainability of Latvia’s healthcare system. It examines Latvia’s legal framework requiring medical graduates to work in the public sector for three years following residency and assesses its compatibility with constitutional rights and EU regulations. The discussion considers potential mechanisms for recovering financial resources when this service obligation is not fulfilled, as well as the possibility of introducing alternative models, such as telemedicine, with much fewer resources. In addition to legal measures, the article explores the role of technological innovation, particularly telemedicine, as a potential means of mitigating doctor shortages and expanding access to care. The article concludes that the continued emigration of healthcare professionals poses a serious threat to the effective functioning of the national healthcare system. Without timely and effective action, the country risks failing to provide adequate and timely healthcare services, especially in specialised fields.