Design, delivery and effectiveness of health practitioner regulation systems: an integrative review.
Kathleen LeslieIvy Lynn BourgeaultAnne-Louise CarltonMadhan BalasubramanianRaha MirshahiStephanie D ShortJenny CarèGiorgio ComettoVivian LinPublished in: Human resources for health (2023)
We identified key themes, issues, and evidence gaps valuable for governments, regulators, and health system leaders. We also identified evidence base limitations that warrant caution when interpreting and generalizing the results across jurisdictions and professions. Themes and findings reflect interests and concerns in high-income Anglophone countries where most literature originated. Most studies were descriptive, resulting in a low certainty of evidence. To inform regulatory design and reform, research funders and governments should prioritize evidence on regulatory outcomes, including innovative approaches we identified in our review. Additionally, a systematic approach is needed to track and evaluate the impact of regulatory interventions and innovations on achieving health workforce and health systems goals.