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Using staffing ratios for workforce planning : evidence on nine allied health professions - a narrative review

Cartmill, Linda, Comans, Tracy, Clark, Michele J., Ash, Sue, & Sheppard, Lorraine (2012) Using staffing ratios for workforce planning : evidence on nine allied health professions - a narrative review. Human Resources for Health, 10(2), pp. 2-8.

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    Abstract

    Background:
    Modern healthcare managers are faced with pressure to deliver effective, efficient services within the context of fixed budget constraints. This requires decisions regarding the skill mix of the workforce particularly when staffing new services. One measure used to identify numbers and mix of staff in healthcare settings is workforce ratio. The aim of this study was to identify workforce ratios in nine allied health professions and to identify whether these measures are useful for planning allied health workforce requirements.

    Method:
    A systematic literature search using relevant MeSH headings of business, medical and allied health databases and relevant grey literature for the period 2000-2008 was undertaken.

    Results:
    Twelve articles were identified which described the use of workforce ratios in allied health services. Only one of these was a staffing ratio linked to clinical outcomes. The most comprehensive measures were identified in rehabilitation medicine.

    Conclusions:
    The evidence for use of staffing ratios for allied health practitioners is scarce and lags behind the fields of nursing and medicine.

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    ID Code: 55105
    Item Type: Journal Article
    Keywords: healthcare managers , workforce ratio
    DOI: 10.1186/1478-4491-10-2
    ISSN: 1478-4491
    Subjects: Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES (110000)
    Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES (110000) > NUTRITION AND DIETETICS (111100)
    Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES (110000) > PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH SERVICES (111700)
    Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES (110000) > OTHER MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES (119900)
    Divisions: Current > QUT Faculties and Divisions > Faculty of Health
    Current > Institutes > Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation
    Current > Schools > School of Exercise & Nutrition Sciences
    Current > Schools > School of Public Health & Social Work
    Copyright Owner: Copyright 2012 Cartmill et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
    Deposited On: 26 Nov 2012 08:59
    Last Modified: 13 May 2013 03:42

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