Health workforce surge capacity during the COVID‐19 pandemic and other global respiratory disease outbreaks: A systematic review of health system requirements and responses

Abstract

Health system decision‐makers need comprehensive evidence to mitigate surges in the demand for human resources for health (HRH) during infectious disease outbreaks. This study aimed to assess the state of the evidence on policy and planning responses to HRH surge capacity during the coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic and other viral respiratory disease outbreaks of global significance in the 21st century. We systematically searched eight bibliographic databases to extract primary research articles published between January 2000 and June 2020 capturing temporal changes in health workforce requirements and responses surrounding respiratory virus pandemics. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analyses standard, 16 studies met our inclusion criteria. Five focused on COVID‐19, three on H1N1, and eight modelled a hypothetical pandemic. Investigations of different training, mobilization, and redeployment options to address pandemic‐time health system capacity were reviewed; however, few scenarios drew on observational HRH data, and heterogeneity of study approaches and outcomes generally precluded comparability across contexts. Notable evidence gaps included occupational and psychosocial factors affecting healthcare workers' absenteeism and risk of burnout, gendered considerations of HRH capacity, evaluations in low‐ and lower‐middle income countries, and policy‐actionable assessments to inform post‐pandemic recovery and sustainability of services for noncommunicable disease management.

Health workforce protection and preparedness during the COVID-19 pandemic: a tool for the rapid assessment of EU health systems

“…We must also talk about knowledge translation, governance and implementation, and this includes critically reflecting about existing policy and research priorities. While information on health workforce surge, capacities, finance and planning 16 , 25 , 26 has improved, but very little attention has been paid to the ‘human’ behind the individual HCW 18 and how they could be better protected. 27 , 28 As the WHO Regional Director has highlighted, we ‘have no COVID-19 response if we do not care for our health-care and essential workers: their needs and well-being must be prioritized’.…”

Health workforce strategies in response to major health events: a rapid scoping review with lessons learned for the response to the COVID-19 pandemic

“…In a recently published review of surge capacity workforce strategies related to COVID-19 and other infectious respiratory disease outbreaks, the authors report an emergence of studies which include a more evaluative component [ 50 ]. Gupta et al included evidence generated from simulated experiments and included disaster preparedness evaluations in addition to actual crisis responses [ 50 ].…”

“…In a recently published review of surge capacity workforce strategies related to COVID-19 and other infectious respiratory disease outbreaks, the authors report an emergence of studies which include a more evaluative component [ 50 ]. Gupta et al included evidence generated from simulated experiments and included disaster preparedness evaluations in addition to actual crisis responses [ 50 ]. Another notable difference between findings from our pre-COVID study and the emerging COVID research is that our literature included few papers that leveraged virtual care, which, of course, became a key strategy in sustaining access to care during the COVID pandemic [ 51 ].…”

Health Workforce Strategies in Response to Major Health Events: A Rapid Scoping Review with Lessons Learned for the Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…In a recently published review of surge capacity workforce strategies related to COVID-19 and other infectious respiratory disease outbreaks, the authors report an emergence of studies which include a more evaluative component (50). Gupta et al included evidence generated from simulated experiments and included disaster preparedness evaluations in addition to actual crisis responses (50). Another notable difference between ndings from our pre-COVID study and the emerging COVID research is that our literature included few papers that leveraged virtual care, which, of course, became a key strategy in sustaining access to care during the COVID pandemic (51).…”