Strategic Workforce Planning in Healthcare: Optimising Human Resources for Enhanced Outcomes in Mother, Child, and Pediatric Intensive Care Settings

Vidhya Shree R., Dr. Venugopal Reddy I.

Abstract: Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) is increasingly critical in healthcare systems where the demand for skilled, timely, and cost - effective care is paramount. In mother and child hospitals with specialised units such as Obstetrics, Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU), and Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU), effective human resource (HR) planning directly influences patient safety, clinical outcomes, and hospital efficiency. This comprehensive review explores SWP frameworks, tools, challenges, and innovations, with a strong focus on maternal and child health institutions in India. It integrates global best practices with examples and proposes a model tailored for specialised healthcare settings. The article also emphasises the transformative role of data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) in reshaping workforce planning, ensuring a resilient and future - ready healthcare workforce.

Keywords: Strategic Workforce Planning, Human Resource Management in Healthcare, Mother and Child Hospitals, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Healthcare Staffing Optimization, AI in Healthcare Workforce, Skill Gap Analysis, HR Analytics in Hospitals, Hospital Operations and Planning