Mentoring in Healthcare: From Idea to Implementation

Background. On March 1, 2026, the Russian Federation enacted a new federal law establishing a mandatory mentorship institution in healthcare for professionals who have received medical education for the first time. Therefore, healthcare managers face the challenge of building a cost-effective, manageable system of men­torship in the context of workforce shortage and higher demands for quality care.

Objective. To systematize approaches for implementing a mentorship framework into healthcare organizations, develop practical tools for evaluating the efficiency of mentoring activities, and provide an implementation algorithm adapted to the current healthcare settings.

Materials and methods. The authors performed an analysis of regulations and legal acts on mentorship in healthcare, including Federal Law No. 424-FZ, Orders of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, and guidelines on implementing a mentorship system in labor. Methods of compar­ative analysis, modeling of organizational processes, and synthesis of practical recommendations were ap­plied.

Results. Four key elements of an efficient mentorship system in a healthcare organization were identi­fied: distribution of roles with assignment of responsibility (manager, HR service, mentor, trainee); a system of key performance indicators (KPIs) for assessing mentor and trainee activity; mechanisms of tangible and soft incentives for mentors; and regulatory and administrative documentation (mentoring regulations, Individual Development Plan, mentor’s diary, trainee assessment sheet, mentoring impact report).

Conclusion. Introduc­ing a systemic approach to mentoring in healthcare organizations enables to fulfill legislative requirements and to achieve a measurable managerial impact, resulting in lower turnover among young specialists and less time for their adaptation and professional development. Integrating a mentorship framework into existing workflows without adding more bureaucracy is crucial for success.

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