East Asia & Pacific

Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Impact of Access to Clinical Endocrinology Video Demonstrations with Access to Usual Revision Resources on Medical Student Performance and Clinical Endocrinology Skills

The aim of this study was to determine the value of on-demand video-based training for clinical skills acquisition by medical students in endocrinology in comparison to traditional revision materials. [adapted from abstract]

Impact of Nurse Working Hours on Patient Safety Culture: A Cross-National Survey Including Japan, the United States and Chinese Taiwan Using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture

The purpose of this study was to clarify the impact of long nurse working hours on patient safety culture in Japan, the US, and Chinese Taiwan using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture assessment tool. [adapted from abstract]

Thailand Special Recruitment Track of Medical Students: A Series of Annual Cross-Sectional Surveys on the New Graduates between 2010 and 2012

This study compared the rural attitudes, intention to fulfill mandatory rural service and competencies between medical graduates’ from two modes of admission, normal and special tracks in order to evaluate Thailand’s comprehensive policies for rural retention of medical doctor and other health professional, including education strategy and mandatory service. [adapted from abstract]

Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice across Medical, Nursing, Pharmacological and Allied Healthcare Professionals: A Questionnaire Survey in Nationwide Hospital Settings

This study investigated the implementation of evidence-based practice, which is regarded as core competence to improve healthcare quality, of six groups of professionals: physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, technicians, and other allied healthcare personnel.

Assessment of Junior Doctor Performance: A Validation Study

This paper reports on a validation study of an assessment tool for junior doctors to evaluate the psychometric properties of the instrument and to explore the effect of length of experience as a first year post-graduate on assessment scores. [adapted from author]

Impact of Nurse Practitioners on Care Delivery in the Emergency Department: A Multiple Perspectives Qualitative Study

This study aimed to investigate the perceived impact of the nurse practitioner on the delivery of care in the emergency department by senior doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners. Results will facilitate adoption and best use of this human resource innovation. [from abstract]

Medical Professionalism among Clinical Physicians in Two Tertiary Hospitals, China

This article reports a study which developed a 13-item professional attitudes and 11-item behaviors inventory in order to investigate medical professional attitudes and behaviors in China and explore the influencing factors. [adapted from abstract]

Strengthening District Health Service Management and Delivery through Internal Contracting: Lessons from Pilot Projects in Cambodia

This study assesses the internal contracting, an approach where contractors work within the ministry of health but do not hire or fire health workers, as a means for improving the management of district health services and strengthening service delivery. [adapted from author]

General Practitioner (Family Physician) Workforce in Australia: Comparing Geographic Data from Surveys, a Mailing List and Medicare

The authors aimed to assess the extent of association or agreement between different spatially explicit nationwide general practitioner (GP) workforce data sets in Australia to identify any disagreements that would imply differential relationships with primary healthcare relevant outcomes with different data sets. The study also enumerates these associations across categories of rurality or remoteness. [adapted from abstract]

Characteristics of a Good Clinical Teacher as Perceived by Resident Physicians in Japan: A Qualitative Study

The objective of this study was to identify the characteristics of a good clinical teacher as perceived by resident physicians in Japan, a non-Western country, and to compare the results with those obtained in Western countries. [from abstract]

Integrative OSCE Methodology for Enhancing the Traditional OSCE Program at Taipei Medical University Hospital: A Feasibility Study

Although significant improvements in teaching methodologies have been made in all areas of medicine and health care, studies reveal that students in many areas of health care taking an objective structured clinical examination express difficulties. This feasibility study assessed the educational effectiveness of an integrated objective structured clinical examination using both standardized patients and virtual patients. [adapted from abstract]

Experiences of Non-Resident Nurses in Australia's Remote Northern Territory

The purpose of this research was to assess the extent to which the use of non-resident labor in the health sector, specifically non-resident nurses, might address the well-known barriers to recruitment and retention of remote health professionals [from author]

Women in the Rural Medical Academic Workforce

This study assessed the role of women as fractional full-time equivalent rural academics in the context of significant health workforce shortage and increasing academic demand and concluded that female doctors who are willing to take on part-time work are supporting the rural medical teaching workforce. [adapted from abstract]

Trauma and Mental Health of Medics in Eastern Myanmar's Conflict Zones: A Cross-Sectional and Mixed Methods Investigation

This study examines a population of community health workers in Karen State, eastern Myanmar to explore the manifestations of health providers’ psychological distress in a low-resource conflict environment.

What Interventions Do Rural Doctors Think Will Increase Recruitment in Rural Areas: A Survey of 2778 Health Workers in Beijing

Strategies have been developed by the Chinese government to improve the recruitment of rural doctors. However, the inequitable distribution of doctors has not improved significantly. The objective of this study was to explore the reasons for the poor recruitment and to propose possible strategies to improve the situation. [adapted from abstract]

Factors Associated with Burnout among Chinese Hospital Doctors: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study investigated the factors related to burnout among Chinese doctors in order to improve the health of doctors and the quality of healthcare services in China. [adapted from abstract]

Review of Policy Documents Relating to Primary Health Care in Commune Health Stations in Vietnam: Human Resource Issues

This policy document review identified key health workforce policy issues and gaps in policy development related to primary health care in Vietnam. [adapted from author]

Adapting Pacific Medical Internships to Changing Contexts

This policy brief outlines current and needed medical internship programs in the Pacific and the policy implications. [adapted from author]

Accreditation of Healthcare Professionals' Education in Pacific Island Countries: Evidence and Options

This brief discusses accreditation of health worker education programs, evidence on accreditation models, the importance of accreditation in the Pacific and the policy implications. [adapted from author]

Commissioning the Education of Healthcare Professionals for Pacific Island Countries

This brief outlines the issues surrounding commissioning of health professionals education and training, the challenges and establishing systems to help Pacific Island Countries manage the existing and future health workforce effectively. [adapted from author]

Medical Education and Training in the Pacific Island Countries: Evidence and Options

This brief outlines the continuum of medical education and training for the Pacific health workforce and the policy implications of the situation. [adapted from author]

Information Needs to Manage Pacific Health Worker Migration

This paper reports the findings of a six country migration study to help fill information and knowledge gaps by visiting selected Pacific Island Countries and collecting available data on migrating and returning health workers. Information was also compiled on policy and procedures governing exit from public service, and the emigration and immigration of health personnel. [adapted from summary]

Forecasting the Absolute and Relative Shortage of Physicians in Japan Using a System Dynamics Model Approach

The purpose of this study was to propose a physician supply forecasting methodology by applying system dynamics modeling to estimate future absolute and relative numbers of physicians. [from abstract]

Integrating Child Health Services into Malaria Control Services of Village Malaria Workers in Remote Cambodia: Service Utilization and Knowledge of Malaria Management of Caregivers

This study aimed to identify determinants of caregivers’ use of village malaria workers services for childhood illness and caregivers’ knowledge of malaria management. [adapted from abstract]

Getting Doctors into the Bush: General Practitioners' Preferences for Rural Location

The aim of this study is to examine the preferences of general practitioners (GPs) for rural location using a discrete choice experiment to estimate the probabilities of moving to a rural area, and the size of financial incentives GPs would require to move there. [adapted from abstract]

Comparative Study of an Externship Program Versus a Corporate-Academic Cooperation Program for Enhancing Nursing Competence of Graduating Students

This study compared the effects of an externship program and a corporate-academic cooperation program on enhancing junior college students’ nursing competence and retention rates in the first 3 months and 1 year of initial employment.

Screening and Counselling in the Primary Care Setting for Women Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence (WEAVE): A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial

This study assessed whether brief counselling from family doctors trained to respond to women identified through intimate partner violence screening would increase women’s quality of life, safety planning and behavior, and mental health. [from summary]

Factors Affecting Learning and Teaching for Medicines Supply Management Training in Pacific Island Countries: A Realist View

The focus of this review was to determine what cultural and learning factors need to be considered when developing a curriculum for South Pacific pharmaceutical health personnel who work across a range of practice environments. [from abstract]

Adherence to Management Guidelines for Growth Faltering and Anaemia in Remote Dwelling Australian Aboriginal Infants and Barriers to Health Service Delivery

This study describes the adherence to infant guidelines for anaemia and growth faltering by remote health staff and barriers to effective service delivery in remote settings. [from abstract]

Why Do Some Women Still Prefer Traditional Birth Attendants and Home Delivery? A Qualitative Study on Delivery Care Services in West Java Province, Indonesia

This study aims to explore the perspectives of community members and health workers about the use of delivery care services in six villages of West Java Province where many women still deliver at home and without the assistance of trained birth attendants. [from abstract]