Table 1 Data collection and analysis for different stages of HLMA

a

Identification of key policy questions for HLMA in Chhattisgarh

Stakeholder consultation was carried out in 2018 to identify the key policy questions. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants of relevant stakeholder categories that included—state level senior leadership of health department, state officials directly involved in implementing HRH policies, district and sub-district-level health officials, officials from teaching hospitals and training institutions, health professionals, health experts from the civil society in Chhattisgarh and representatives from private hospitals. The detailed list of stakeholders interviewed is given in Additional file 1: Table S1. The consultations were facilitated by technical experts from the WHO

Thematic analysis was done of data collected through interviews

b

Understanding the existing literature

Web search was conducted on the pubmed and google scholar. The key words were decided to search the existing studies on HRH gaps, strategies and policies on health workforce issues using key words in Chhattisgarh state. The international literature on HLMA was also searched using the above mentioned procedure

Desk review of the relevant studies was done

c

Understanding existing HRH policies, rules and procedures in Chhattisgarh

Government documents on HRH including rules and procedures related to recruitment, policies for retention and incentives for HRH, training, promotion and transfers and budget documents were collected from concerned sections of the Department of Health in Chhattisgarh. The relevant documents were identified by seeking information from the key informants directly involved in implementing HRH policies at state level

Desk review of the relevant documents was done

d

Assessing production, absorption, recruitment and geographic distribution of HRH in Chhattisgarh

Secondary quantitative data were collected from various sections of the Department of Health. This was the main source of data for the quantitative analysis. It included data on the district-wise number of approved and filled positions of different healthcare professionals, recruitment drives, numbers of health professionals registered under professional regulation bodies and numbers of health professionals produced by training institutions. The detailed list of data collected along with period and source is given in Additional file 1: Table S2

Data were entered or imported in Microsoft excel and presented in frequencies and percentages. It was analysed for different dimensions, e.g. production and recruitment; geographic distribution and vacancies

e

Identifying underlying reasons for HRH gaps

In-depth interviews of key informants among different stakeholders were conducted. Interview guides were prepared for the different categories of stakeholders and those were focused on specific gap relevant to them. The detailed list of stakeholders interviewed for this purpose is given in Additional file 1: Table S1

All interview recordings were transcribed in digital files and each transcript was read carefully. Transcript was annotated using different labels and codes. Data were conceptualized creating themes and grouped in thematic categories and sub-categories

f

Assessing changes in HRH situation from September 2018 to August 2021, i.e., 3 years after initiating HLMA

Data were collected on filled positions of various cadres till 2021. The data points on which information was collected up to 2021 are indicated in Additional file 1: Table S2

Data were analysed quantitatively in Microsoft excel. Comparison tables were developed to measure the changes in HRH vacancies

g

Assessing policy changes in HRH 3 years after initiating HLMA

For each recommendation in HLMA, information was sought on policy changes from key informants directly involved in implementing HRH policies. Relevant documents were collected

Desk review of the relevant documents was done