Managing the process of retirement : The medical professionals' perceptions

Barber and González (2009) have pointed out that about a third (31%) of the Spanish medical professionals working in the National Health System are between 50 and 60 years old. This indicates that many medical professionals will retire in the coming years, which could pose a threat to the sustainability of the healthcare system. In this paper we will approach the retirement of these workers as a process of adjustment that takes into account their decisions to change roles and can also be an element to foster well-being in and out of work. The analyses indicate that medical professionals demand a clear contribution in terms of the design of the retirement process from healthcare institutions. They want recognition of their role and expertise, and a collaborative approach to designing a retirement process.