Trends in health systems in the former Soviet countries

After the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, the countries that emerged from it faced myriad challenges, including the need to reorganize the organization, financing and provision of health services. Over two decades later, this book analyses the progress that twelve of these countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan) have made in reforming their health systems. Building on the health system reviews of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (the HiT series), it illustrates the benefits of international comparisons of health systems, describing the often markedly different paths taken and evaluating the consequences of these choices. This book will be an important resource not only for those with an interest in health systems and policies in the post-Soviet countries, but also for those interested in health systems in general. It will be of particular use to governments in central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet countries (and those advising them), to international and nongovernmental organizations active in the region, and to researchers of health systems and policies.

The health care workforce in Europe: learning from experience

A trained and motivated workforce, with appropriate skills, a commitment to life-long learning and adequate rewards is a prerequisite for high-performing health systems. Yet, for many countries, the challenge of getting this right often proves too much. How do you ensure the right skill-mix, so that the appropriate staff are in the right places to meet the needs of populations with changing health needs? How do you cope with health professionals' unprecedented levels of international mobility, when minor changes in working conditions in another country can make the difference between surplus and scarcity? How do you ensure that the rewards are commensurate with the contributions that staff make, especially when there are many other employment opportunities open to them? There are no easy answers, but this book brings together the experiences of a range of countries that are all struggling with these issues, and offers lessons for others facing similar challenges.