Olieinikova T. Administrative and legal regulation of advanced training and certification of medical workers

This doctoral thesis presents a comprehensive study of the administrative and legal framework governing the professional development and certification of healthcare professionals as components of the postgraduate medical education system; it substantiates new academic propositions and develops recommendations for improving the legal regulation in this field. It describes the current state and problematic aspects of the regulatory framework governing the processes of professional development and certification of healthcare professionals in Ukraine, and identifies key contradictions and gaps in the existing legal framework. It is argued that the absence of a unified scientific and legal interpretation of the concept of ‘certification’ complicates law enforcement practice and hinders the process of standardising the assessment of medical professionals’ professional competence. It is argued that the current regulatory framework governing the processes under study is characterised by gradual harmonisation with international approaches and a transition towards a supportive model of professional competence assessment, whilst retaining the need for further clarification of legal provisions, improvement of methodological support and development of tools to modernise assessment procedures. The socio-economic significance and public value of the continuous professional development of healthcare professionals as a fundamental element in ensuring the quality of healthcare have been established. It has been demonstrated that continuous professional development has a multifaceted social impact, which manifests itself in improved public health, strengthened trust in healthcare institutions and the minimisation of the risks of medical errors. Conclusions have been drawn that the development of a system of continuous professional development for healthcare professionals is a strategic factor in enhancing the competitiveness of the national healthcare system, ensuring its sustainability, and contributing to the achievement of the state’s sustainable socio-economic development goals. It has been established that the introduction of medical self-governance contributes to the creation of an environment of professional accountability, increases motivation for continuous professional development, and engages the medical community in the processes of formulating sectoral policy. The organisational and legal foundations for the functioning of postgraduate medical education institutions have been examined, and mechanisms for their integration into Ukraine’s higher education system and for their interaction with public administration bodies have been identified. It has been established that the legal status of such institutions is shaped by a combination of constitutional provisions, legislation in the field of education and specific regulations within the healthcare sector, which ensures their operation as integral parts of the higher education system, subject to specific requirements regarding licensing, accreditation and the organisation of educational activities. Areas for improving the administrative and legal regulation of the professional development and certification of healthcare professionals have been identified in the context of the transformation of the postgraduate medical education system. The need to improve the administrative and legal mechanisms for the accreditation of educational programmes and the activities of continuing professional development providers, as well as the introduction of uniform requirements for the quality of educational services, their monitoring and external control, has been substantiated. The paper demonstrates the advisability of improving certification procedures by moving from a formalised assessment to a multi-component evaluation model that integrates the outcomes of continuing professional development, indicators of professional performance and ethical standards. The paper justifies the need to strengthen the role of professional self-governance in the processes of assessing and regulating the professional activities of healthcare workers, as well as to improve the mechanisms for inter-agency cooperation between public administration bodies in the fields of healthcare and education. It has been concluded that the implementation of the proposed measures will ensure greater effectiveness in the administrative and legal regulation of the professional development of healthcare professionals, contribute to the harmonisation of the national system with international standards, and improve the quality of healthcare.