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Romania’s 2025 guide for health workforce attraction and retention: Bridging global strategies and local realities

Author

Listed:
  • Blidaru, Teodor Cristian
  • Forray, Alina-Ioana
  • Zapata, Tomas
  • Scotter, Cris
  • Andersen, Yana
  • Al-alawy, Khamis
  • Novac, Ioana
  • Vrîncianu, Rareș
  • Rafila, Alexandru
  • Rogobete, Alexandru Florin
  • Garofil, Dragoș Nicolae

Abstract

Romania's health system faces a challenge of health workforce maldistribution, especially in rural and non-university urban areas. A national policy reform was launched in 2024–2025, supported by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and WHO technical assistance. The reform's objective was to equip and empower local authorities to improve the recruitment, retention, and motivation of health professionals in their communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Blidaru, Teodor Cristian & Forray, Alina-Ioana & Zapata, Tomas & Scotter, Cris & Andersen, Yana & Al-alawy, Khamis & Novac, Ioana & Vrîncianu, Rareș & Rafila, Alexandru & Rogobete, Alexandru Florin & , 2026. "Romania’s 2025 guide for health workforce attraction and retention: Bridging global strategies and local realities," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:164:y:2026:i:c:s0168851025002659
    DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2025.105511
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kuhlmann, Ellen & Falkenbach, Michelle & Correia, Tiago & Humphries, Niamh & Hutchinson, Eleanor & Rees, Gareth H & Ungureanu, Marius-Ionut & Zapata, Tomas & Lohmann, Julia, 2025. "Global health and care worker migration requires a global response," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    2. Ellen Kuhlmann & Marius‐Ionuț Ungureanu & Nancy Thilo & Leonie Mac Fehr & Nicoleta‐Carmen Cosma & Monica Georgina Brînzac & Alexandra Dopfer‐Jablonka, 2024. "Building capacity for equitable healthcare workforce policy, learning from migrant healthcare workers: A qualitative study with Romanian physicians working in Germany during COVID‐19," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(4), pages 1081-1096, July.
    3. Domagała, Alicja & Dubas-Jakóbczyk, Katarzyna, 2019. "Migration intentions among physicians working in Polish hospitals – Insights from survey research," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(8), pages 782-789.
    4. Chevillard, Guillaume & Mousquès, Julien, 2021. "Medically underserved areas: are primary care teams efficient at attracting and retaining general practitioners?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    5. Pedro Ramos & Hélio Alves & Paulo Guimarães & Maria A. Ferreira, 2017. "Junior doctors’ medical specialty and practice location choice: simulating policies to overcome regional inequalities," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 18(8), pages 1013-1030, November.
    6. Swami, Megha & Scott, Anthony, 2021. "Impact of rural workforce incentives on access to GP services in underserved areas: Evidence from a natural experiment," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
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