Medical Deserts Network update

It is now possible to sign up for the Medical Deserts Network (MDN). Becoming a member of this network – the first of its kind in Europe – means getting access to the prototype version of Medical Deserts Diagnostics Tool, invitations to health workforce and medical deserts-related webinars, workshop results, policy briefs, and other communication products.

With this network, we want to provide a common space where stakeholders from all AHEAD partner countries, policymakers and interested parties from the European Commission and other EU countries can learn from each other and share knowledge and information on medical deserts and health workforce policy.

https://ahead.health/md-network/

OASES Conference, December 10th

On December 10^th, Corinne Hinlopen, global health advocate at Wemos, presented the project Action for Health and Equity Addressing medical Deserts (AHEAD) at an online EU-wide conference, attended by over 60 researchers, health professionals and policy makers, including from the Directorate-General SANTE. The lively engagement with the audience provided additional inspiration for the project partners. The conference was organised to showcase the three European Commission funded projects on medical deserts that have started during 2021.

To read more on this, please visit OASES Conference News!

An update on the research

Collection of relevant indicators for the identification of medical deserts in Italy, Moldova, the Netherlands, Romania and Serbia is on-going. This will result in more maps in the Medical Deserts Diagnostic Tool in the near future.

In a next phase, we will add contextual information about the countries’ health systems to the tool. The first half year of 2022 will be dedicated to holding interviews and Focus Group Discussions with key stakeholders, such as affected communities, health professionals and local and national policy makers. Stay tuned for updates!

AHEAD is reading/watching:

State of Health in the EU: Companion report 2021 (find HERE)
State of Health in the EU: Country Health Profiles (find HERE)
The recording of the launch webinar of the State of Health in the EU reports (find HERE and USE PASSWORD @HPP_webinar2021
WHO guideline on health workforce development, attraction, recruitment and retention in rural and remote areas (find HERE)
WHO Health labour market analysis guidebook (find HERE)