Russia’s Health Ministry has authorized hospitals and clinics to delegate some of the responsibilities of doctors to paramedics and midwives in response to a nationwide healthcare staffing crisis, the Kommersant business daily reported Wednesday.
According to the ministry, Russia faced a shortfall of 23,200 doctors and 63,000 other medical professionals in 2023.
Under new regulations published on Monday, chief medical officers will be allowed to assign primary and emergency care responsibilities to paramedics and midwives “in case of understaffing or insufficient staffing.”
Once reassigned, these mid-level personnel will be permitted to deliver babies, prescribe medications and provide direct medical care typically handled by physicians.
Dmitry Sukhikh, head of the Kulakov National Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology in Moscow, said more than 3,600 obstetrician-gynecologist and over 1,730 neonatologist positions in Russia went unfilled last year.
The updated regulations will take effect on Sept. 1, replacing similar rules from 2012. However, the move could place even greater pressure on an already strained workforce.
Adding new responsibilities to ambulance crews will likely increase their already “extreme” workload, said Dmitry Belyakov, who heads a union of paramedics.
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