Workforce planning methodologies for the allied health professions are acknowledged as rudimentary despite the increasing importance of these professions to health care across the spectrum of health services settings. The objectives of this study were to (i) identify workload capacity measures and methods for profiling allied health workforce requirements from a systematic review of the international literature; (ii) explore the use of these methods in planning workforce requirements; (iii) identify barriers to applying such methods; and (iv) recommend further action.Future approaches to workforce planning were explored through a systematic review of the literature, interviews with key stakeholders and focus group discussions with representatives from the different professional bodies and health agencies in Victoria.Results identified a range of methods used to calculate workload requirements or capacity. In order of increasing data demands and costliness to implement, workload capacity methods can be broadly classified into four groups: ratio-based, procedure-based, categories of care-based and diagnostic or casemix-based. Despite inherent limitations, the procedure-based measurement approach appears to be most widely accepted. Barriers to more rigorous workforce planning methods are discussed and future directions explored through an examination of the potential ALLIED HEALTH has been recognised as an increasingly important discipline in health care management, particularly in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases that affect ageing populations. 1 Providing allied health services outside major urban areas is becoming an increasing challenge to workforce planners and health serv- What is known about the topic?The lack of definitional consistency about workload measurement has hampered workforce planning. In its simple form workload measurement can be seen as quantifying the relationship between service activity or demand, the required tasks to be performed, and the units of labour needed to perform the tasks. Expressed in reverse, the "labour required" becomes workload capacity, the amount of work or activity a unit of labour can deliver. What does this paper add?This paper contributes to the research on workforce planning relevant to the allied health professions. Specific contributions include the generation of a typology of workload capacity methods categorised according to increasing data and resource intensity: (1) ratio-based methodologies; (2) procedure-based methodologies; (3) categories of care-based methodologies; and (4) diagnostic or casemixbased methodologies. A fifth approach which is a combination of all four methods was also identified. What are the implications?Creating rigorous system-wide methodologies will require significant investment. A first step could be to build on sophisticated and valid frameworks developed from the work of the National Allied Health Casemix Committee. These data could be fed into the development of a broader platform approach able to be adjusted f...

Data from quantitative and qualitative sources were gathered from enterprises in five industry sectors (construction, manufacturing, services, transport and other) using targeted interviews, focus groups, a mailed questionnaire survey (N = 81) and a telephone interview survey (N = 69) to ascertain the level of importance employers place on their employees' qualifications. Analysis was undertaken to determine whether employers value qualifications differently by type of employee (e.g. job classification); the type of human resource management decision; and the business risk being managed. The study results suggest that employers generally value qualifications less than stakeholders inside the formal education and training system. Employer perspectives appear to vary according to enterprise size and other characteristics. However, all employers distinguish between formal qualifications and relevant experience. They seek outcomes from training consistent with their perception of business needs and how competence contributes to satisfying those needs (including minimising risks).

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Introduction: This article presents some of the results of a year-long project in the Republic of Ireland to review the quality of the hospital inpatient enquiry data for its use in activity-based funding (ABF). This is the first of two papers regarding best practice in the management of clinical coding services. Methods: Four methods were used to address this aspect of the project, namely a literature review, a workshop, an assessment of the coding services in 12 Irish hospitals by structured interviews of the clinical coding managers, and a medical record audit of the clinical codes in 10 hospitals. Results: The results included here are those relating to the quality of the medical records, coding work allocation and supervision processes, data quality control measures, communication with clinicians, and the visibility of clinical coders, their managers, and the coding service. Conclusion: The project found instances of best practice in the study hospitals but also found several areas needing improvement. These included improving the structure and content of the medical record, clinician engagement with the clinical coding teams and the ABF process, and the use of data quality control measures.

Examples of best practice were found in the study hospitals but there were also areas for improvement. Coding managers would benefit from greater support in the form of increased opportunities for management training and a better method for calculating CC workforce numbers. A career pathway is needed for CCs to progress from entry to expert CC, mentor, manager and quality controller. Most hospitals could benefit from investment in infrastructure that places CCs in a physical environment that tells them they are an important part of the hospital and their work is valued.