Short-term volunteer staffing of a hospital.

We surveyed 136 physicians, nurses, dentists, physician assistants, and other medical professionals who were residents of the United States and had volunteered their professional services for 6 months or less from October 1992 through January 1994 at St. Jude Hospital, a rural hospital on the island of St. Lucia in the southern Caribbean. This hospital has relied almost entirely on volunteer staffing over the past 27 years. The survey explored motivations for volunteering, opinions on medical care, and personal background. Of those who returned the questionnaire (a 68% response rate), 98% considered overall care to be adequate or better than adequate despite limited hospital facilities and frequent changes of personnel. Seventy-seven percent cited unavailability of opportunities, limited backup mediated coverage in locales where they might want to volunteer, and concerns about licensing and insurance as reasons for not doing volunteer work in the United States.

More short-term volunteer staffing for public health: an independent policy statement.

This paper is an independent policy statement recommending more short-term volunteer staffing for the US Public Health Service. I propose a Public Health survey of all physicians to determine their willingness to serve short-term, so that those available can be mobilized. Public Health should redirect its recruitment efforts, eliminate bureaucratic hindrances, develop a cadre of generalists and specialists, and designate appropriate organizations that can incorporate existing medical personnel.