Nahith KarimeRoca Vega
QUALITY OF CARE AS A CHALLENGE FOR PERU'S HEALTH LABOR FORCE
One of the challenges of the health workforce in Perú is the quality of care provided
by doctors and workers in general. That is why, the importance of Human Resources (RRHH)
management in the health sector, since it is the area where job improvements are promoted,
as well as constant training in the search for continuous improvement. Where it provides
quality services to the main audience that is the patient. Since, in recent years there has been
a dissatisfaction of the users of health services and problems in the quality of care that have
been deeply described in many research studies.
The Ministry of Health, through INFORHUS as an information system, has allowed
annual reports on the status of RHUS in Perú, which has allowed updating indicators on their
availability in order to make international comparisons. For example, WHO has set the
international standard of having 44.5 health workers per 10,000 population. However, in
Peru, for 2017 it was not only below the minimum amount required (31.88 health
professionals per 10,000 inhabitants), but also its distribution is notably unequal and
inequitable, where it was found that the half of the departments that are above the standard
density are on the coast.In addition, it is evident that there was no improvement over the
years, which is demonstrated with information on the distribution of health personnel
according to the INFORHUS institution in 2017, where 265,460 health sector workers were
registered nationwide, and almost 50%, that is, a total of 102 777 were concentrated in the
city of Lima and more than 90% belonged to the public sector, this being the main employer.
So¸ this was an impact on the quality of customer service.
Given this, one of the strategic recommendations in the face of this problem and
everything that I imply in recent years after the arrival of the pandemic due to Covid-19
would be the following important. First, you would have toexpand transformative and high-
quality education and lifelong learning for health workers, so that workers have a different
look according to the context of the patient, where they can learn new communication
techniques that are effective and efficient, since Perú it is a very culturally diverse country.
Second, reform service models focused on hospital care and focused on prevention and the
provision of high-quality people-centered primary and outpatient care. This in order to
provide better quality care to patients and prevent different diseases that can affect the quality
of life of the patient. For this, it would be importanst to strengthen family and community
health programs and implement new support programs for both healh personnel and patients.
Third, take advantage of the power of profitable information and communication
technologies, because through this resource communication with the patient will be more
efficient and patients will be better informed, in order to avoid crowds and have a better order
of care. Fourth, ensure that the workforce and the health system have the capacity to detect
and respond to public health risks and emergencies. This would be appropriate because it
would seek an improvement in the performance and management of RRHH where its
competencies would be strengthened, which will be key to ensure quality in the care and
provision of health services in Perú.
