Migration of health workers: key findings from Romania

Abstract

The migration of medical staff results in the diminution of human resources in the health sector, undermining the capacity of developing countries' health systems to provide medical services equitably. Various factors, such as economic, professional, political, social, or personal considerations, contribute to the decision of health workers to emigrate. This paper's primary objective is to analyze the prevailing trends in the migration flows and stocks of physicians and nurses, with a focus on identifying the principal pull factors of migration. The preferred destination countries for Romanian health professionals include the UK, Germany, France, and Italy. Notably, Germany stands out as a leader in health care professionals' migration flows, characterized by two distinct migration periods: the first featuring exceptionally high levels of physician migration and the second marked by increasing levels of nurses' migration. Through panel data regression analysis, we have established that the pull factors for physicians differ from those for nurses. For physicians, the presence of a Romanian community of health professionals in the destination countries is crucial, whereas for nurses, the development level of the destination country holds top importance.