Thailand is advancing health workforce governance under its 10-Year Health Workforce Reform Strategy (2024–2034). The strategy supports a transition from supply-based workforce planning to a systems-based approach that links workforce capacity with population health needs.
Despite this policy direction, workforce planning has been constrained by fragmented data systems. A national assessment identified that key indicators—particularly on workforce distribution, retention, and private sector participation—could not be fully reported due to gaps in data integration.
To address these challenges, WHO Thailand, in collaboration with the Bureau of Digital Health at the Ministry of Public Health, convened a policy dialogue with stakeholders across sectors. The dialogue focused on strengthening data governance and improving interoperability between systems.
The “Provider ID” initiative was identified as a key mechanism to support integration. This approach introduces a Single Sign-On digital identifier for health workers, enabling more consistent and connected data across systems. A service-driven model was proposed to support adoption by linking system use to practical benefits.
The dialogue resulted in commitments to expand implementation of the Provider ID system, establish a National Health Workforce Registry covering public and private sectors, and strengthen collaboration between government and partners. These actions aim to improve availability and use of workforce data for policy and planning.
The initiative contributes to implementation of the national workforce reform strategy by strengthening data integration and governance, supporting evidence-informed workforce planning, and improving monitoring across sectors.
/countries/thailand/providerid-acts-as-sso.png?sfvrsn=4cae9d10_3 "ProviderID acts as SSO")
Figure 1. Provider ID acts as a central Single Sign-On (SSO) system, connecting healthcare workers to multiple digital health platforms through one secure login.
Next steps include expanding system coverage, improving interoperability, and operationalizing the national registry. Continued coordination among stakeholders will support alignment with national health priorities.