Availability, distribution and working conditions of hematology specialists in Argentina

Abstract

Introduction. Despite its importance, there is limited data regarding the hematology workforce in terms of the number and distribution of professionals, as well as their working conditions. The objectives of this study were to describe the density of hematology specialists in Argentina and to assess their professional and employment conditions. Materials and methods. To assess the availability and geographic distribution of hematology specialists, publicly accessible data from the Federal Observatory of Human Resources in Health were examined. Specialist-to-population ratios per 10,000 inhabitants were calculated at both national and provincial levels, with adult and pediatric hematologists analyzed separately. Additionally, data on profesional and employment conditions were collected through a survey disseminated by the Argentine Society of Hematology to all its members via institutional email on September 7, 2023 Results. The most recent available data on the number of hematology specialists corresponded to the year 2020. That year, Argentina had 1,095 adult hematologists, with a national rate of 0.35 per 10,000 adults. Striking interprovincial disparities were observed: the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA) had five times more hematologists per 10,000 inhabitants than the provinces of Córdoba and Buenos Aires, and 27 times more than Formosa and Catamarca. Regarding pediatric hematology, in 2020 there were 92 registered pediatric hematologists (rate: 0.06/10,000 inhabitants under 19 years of age) and 21 pediatric onco-hematology specialists (rate: 0.02/10,000). With respect to working conditions, 217 hematologists completed the survey. Among them, 69% were women, and the median age was 46 years (IQR 40–56). A total of 62.5% reported holding multiple jobs, 53% were employed under formal contracts, and 40% worked more than 40 hours per week. Additionally, 90% reported receiving no financial incentives from their institutions to encourage better performance. Conclusions. There are significant interprovincial disparities in the distribution of hematology specialists in Argentina. Furthermore, there is no evidence of an oversupply of professionals in this field. An accelerated process of labor precarization is underway, characterized by high levels of multiple employment, long working hours, and a low proportion of formally employed professionals.