Boundaries of the "healthcare workplace" must be expanded.

Abstract

There is merit in considering the lead papers within a context of the current social and political landscape, the status of our healthcare system and the role of public policy to drive change. In doing so, it becomes clear that the notion of workplace must extend beyond what has been traditionally confined to physician offices and healthcare facilities, and the traditional workforces within. Until the concept of health workforce include patients, unpaid care providers and new healthcare roles, and the concept of workplace includes communities and homes, we miss the identification of problems and the possible solutions to them.