title: [Regional integration, population health needs, and human resources for health systems and services: an approach to the concept of health care gap].
abstract: The existence of gaps between the population's health needs and the human resources available for meeting them, as well as limitations in the methods to estimate such needs, constitute key factors to be tackled in the development and integration of health systems in Latin America. This aim of this study was to conduct an initial literature review on the tools and procedures used to estimate and plan human resources allocation in health and to use this review as the basis for identifying the advantages, limitations, and complementary characteristics of these tools, subsequently proposing the need for more in-depth studies on their applicability for designing regional health policies. The article then presents the concept of global public health goods, the generation and use of which results in a strategic alternative for improving both health systems integration in the region and quality of life for the population covered by such services.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Universitario de la Fundación ISALUD, Calle Venezuela 925/31, C1095AAS Buenos Aires, Argentina. schweiger@isalud.org
authors.forename: Arturo Luis Francisco
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Schweiger
authors.forename: Daniela Teresita
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Alvarez
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking; D003210:Concept Formation; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D014943:Global Health; D006285:Health Planning / Q000379:methods*; D006295:Health Resources / Q000458:organization & administration; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007843:Latin America; D000078329:Workforce