Factors affecting the retention and recruitment of medical laboratory specialists in South Africa : a case study of anatomical pathologists and virologists in KwaZulu-Natal.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the factors affecting the retention and recruitment of medical laboratory specialists in South Africa. South Africa experiences a significant shortage of medical laboratory specialists. The shortage has many negative implications on the quality and sustainability of the country‟s healthcare services. However, whilst medical laboratory specialists play an integral role in the country‟s healthcare system, there has been no research conducted on the labour market for these specialists and the reasons that facilitate the shortage. Through a qualitative case study of anatomical pathologists and virologists in KwaZulu-Natal, this study overcomes this gap by assessing the factors that negatively affect the retention and recruitment of these specialists. The objectives of this study are: to examine the national and international labour markets for South African medical laboratory specialists; to determine the consequences that the shortage has on South Africa‟s healthcare system; to assess whether social factors play a larger role than economic factors do in the retention and recruitment of South African medical laboratory specialists; to investigate the efficacy of non-work related factors in the retention and recruitment of these specialists; and to explain the labour market for these specialists in relation to the human relations, human capital and job embeddedness theories. Findings suggest that social factors play a larger role in the retention and recruitment of South African medical laboratory specialists. Additionally, the factors affecting the retention and recruitment of these specialists comprise of factors found within the work settings, as well as factors that are found outside the work settings of these specialists (i.e. work related and non-work related factors). Considering these factors allows for this study to make a few recommendations towards the successful retention and recruitment of medical laboratory specialists in South Africa. This in turn would contribute to the overall quality, efficiency and sustainability of the country‟s healthcare services.