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Retaining rural doctors: Doctors' preferences for rural medical workforce incentives

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  • Li, Jinhu
  • Scott, Anthony
  • McGrail, Matthew
  • Humphreys, John
  • Witt, Julia

Abstract

Many governments have implemented incentive programs to improve the retention of doctors in rural areas despite a lack of evidence of their effectiveness. This study examines rural general practitioners' (GPs') preferences for different types of retention incentive policies using a discrete choice experiment (DCE). In 2009, the DCE was administered to a group of 1720 rural GPs as part of the “Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life (MABEL)” study. We estimate both a mixed logit model and a generalized multinomial logit model to account for different types of unobserved differences in GPs' preferences. Our results indicate that increased level of locum relief incentive, retention payments and rural skills loading leads to an increase in the probability of attracting GPs to stay in rural practice. The locum relief incentive is ranked as the most effective, followed by the retention payments and rural skills loading payments. These findings are important in helping to tailor retention policies to those that are most effective.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Jinhu & Scott, Anthony & McGrail, Matthew & Humphreys, John & Witt, Julia, 2014. "Retaining rural doctors: Doctors' preferences for rural medical workforce incentives," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 56-64.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:121:y:2014:i:c:p:56-64
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.09.053
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    5. Bunmi S Malau-Aduli & Amy M Smith & Louise Young & Tarun Sen Gupta & Richard Hays, 2020. "To stay or go? Unpacking the decision-making process and coping strategies of International Medical Graduates practising in rural, remote, and regional Queensland, Australia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-20, June.
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    8. 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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