An Analysis of Psychiatric Workforce Distribution in the Philippines

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Workforce Research
• Mental Healthcare Access

Background:

• Healthcare access in the Philippines is known to be highly variable.
• A long-standing shortage of psychiatrists exists nationally.
• No prior studies have detailed regional psychiatrist distribution in the Philippines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the geographical distribution of psychiatrists across Philippine regions.
• To identify disparities in psychiatrist availability using online data sources.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study utilizing publicly available online data.
• Data sources included the Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA) directory, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) database, and Philippine Statistics Authority.
• Information collated: practice location, sex, PPA membership, PhilHealth accreditation, regional GDP, and population.

Main Results:

• Data on 409 psychiatrists was analyzed, with 68% female and 53% PhilHealth accredited.
• 53.5% of 417 practice locations were in the National Capital Region.
• No psychiatrists declared practice in the Bangsamoro region.

Conclusions:

• Significant maldistribution of psychiatrists across Philippine regions was identified.
• Policies incentivizing practice in underserved areas are recommended.
• Investment in telemedicine is suggested to bridge the access gap.