Rural Health
News by Topic: Health occupations
Jan 22, 2025 - Highlights recent research studies on obstetric service access in rural communities nationally and in Minnesota. Discusses distance to care, reasons for closures, and projected shortages of obstetric and gynecology physicians.
Source: MinnPost
Jan 22, 2025 - Summarizes recent research finding that rural areas have a shortage of ophthalmic surgeons despite a higher need for ophthalmic surgery for rural residents. Discusses trends in access to eye surgeons and specialists between 2012 and 2022 and regional access disparities.
Source: HealthDay News
Jan 15, 2025 - Describes current and projected physician workforce shortages in Minnesota. Notes that shortages are most acute in rural areas and in key fields including pediatrics, family medicine, and obstetrics. Discusses the impact of shortages on healthcare access and incentives to recruit new physicians.
Source: CBS News, WCCO News
Jan 14, 2025 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announcing the 2025 meetings of the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC), which will include discussion and voting on proposals for physician-focused payment models (PFPMs). The 2025 meeting dates are: March 3-4, June 3-4, September 8-9, and December 9-10.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 13, 2025 - Discusses the factors contributing to a growing shortage of primary care doctors across the nation and efforts by medical schools to encourage students to pursue a career in primary care. Highlights a University of Washington program which has shown success in funneling primary care graduates to rural communities.
Source: KFF Health News
Jan 9, 2025 - Details the findings of a recent survey on workforce shortages at Minnesota long-term care facilities. Discusses the relationship between staffing shortages and long-term care facility closures, which have been concentrated in rural Minnesota. Highlights the growing number of facilities that are recruiting workers from other countries, and efforts to streamline the recruitment and immigration processes.
Source: MinnPost
Jan 9, 2025 - Profiles a program specialist in the West Virginia University Rural Track in the School of Medicine. Describes the program and the challenges it aims to overcome including workforce shortages and rural-focused training for future physicians.
Source: My Buckhannon
Jan 8, 2025 - Describes a newly funded project to increase the number of mental health professionals in rural New York schools by training social work graduate students in rural schools. Notes that rural students have higher rates of depression and isolation than urban students and less access to mental healthcare.
Source: WKBW
Jan 6, 2025 - Profiles a community health worker (CHW) in rural Arkansas. Describes the role of CHWs in their communities, workforce shortages across the state, and CHW training.
Source: UAMS News
Jan 3, 2025 - Announces a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded project to establish new rural obstetric training graduate medical education opportunities in Maine. The goal of the program is to increase access to specialty care for pregnant patients in rural communities.
Source: Daily Bulldog