PIN133 Medical Human Resource NEEDS of Chinese Health Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To explore the medical human resource needs of Chinese health professionals duringthe COVID-19 pandemic and provide evidence-based support for the national medical workforce allocation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A mathematical model was established with two scenarios (under control and intermittent outbreak) for predicting the health professionals’ human resource needs. The model inputs were based on the data obtained from the National Health Commission (NHC) of the PRCand the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Results: The medical workforce supply is 10.78 million during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Due to the decrease in the number of patients in outpatient and elective surgery, there are excess human resources in most clinical specialties. The demand for professionals during the COVID-19 epidemic in under control and outbreak circumstances will be 8.00 million and 8.42 million, respectively. Around 1.5–2 million of the workforce supply could be reallocating human resources to the shortage of specialties or services (for example, a massive screening program for COVID-19 in the community). Conclusions: The total number of health professionals is adequate during the COVID-19 pandemic (under control and intermittent outbreak) in China. However, due to the massive screening program for COVID-19 in the community, the needs of professionals for extensive screening programs are increased, and the reallocation of human resources to specialties with shortages is needed.