Importance of work engagement in primary healthcare, 2018

Work engagement is crucial for quality care at the primary healthcare level. This is especially true during the Covid-19 pandemic, as it has effects on the community from both a health and economic point of view. For example, inadequate work engagement can lead to fewer referrals to the secondary healthcare level. The aim of this study is to examine the work engagement level in a public healthcare organisation at the primary healthcare level to further explore the role of job and work environment characteristics. The study addresses a research gap in the field of primary healthcare and emphasises the importance of managing the factors promoting work engagement. The future of healthcare will be strongly shaped by population ageing and Covid-19 disruption, which have created unpredictable and unfavourable working situations. Effective PHC functioning is thus crucial for ensuring quality healthcare and the health of the population in general, as PHC is the cornerstone of health systems and a cost-effective way to provide universal health coverage.