Rural Health
News by Topic: Health occupations
Jan 13, 2026 - Discusses reasons for labor and delivery department closures across Pennsylvania including challenges with recruiting and retaining obstetricians and gynecologists and low reimbursement rates for Medicare and Medicaid. Also notes poor health outcomes associated with maternal healthcare deserts. Describes potential solutions including increasing access to and the scope of practice for nurse midwives and certified midwives
Source: The Pennsylvania Independent
Jan 9, 2026 - Baylor University has conducted a scoping review of rural nursing workforce recruitment and retention programs across the U.S., to address shortages of registered nurses. The study highlights what is being done to support the nurses' rural communities, and which strategies work best.
Source: Baylor College of Medicine
Jan 8, 2026 - Interview with pharmacy professor Emily Eddy, who leads the Rural and Underserved Scholars program at Ohio Northern University in rural Hardin County. She offers thoughts on increasing access to medications in pharmacy deserts.
Source: The Ohio Newsroom
Jan 6, 2026 - Describes findings from a recent study evaluating access to sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) in Kentucky. Notes planned policy efforts as a result of study findings. Discusses rural-specific challenges with maintaining access to SANEs including training and retaining workforce.
Source: Kentucky Lantern
Jan 5, 2026 - Discusses the role of community colleges in addressing nursing workforce shortages. Highlights programs in Oregon and Mississippi offering new facilities and accelerated training timelines to attract new students.
Source: Community College Daily
HRSA: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Public Comment Request; Health Workforce Connector, OMB No. 0906-0031 Revision
Federal Register
Dec 31, 2025 - Notice from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) seeking comments on proposed revisions to an information collection request titled "Bureau of Health Workforce Health Workforce Connector OMB No. 0906-0031-Revision." The Health Workforce Connector (HWC) provides a central platform to connect participants, including but not limited to those in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), Nurse Corps Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs (Nurse Corps), Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program, Pediatric Specialty (PS) Loan Repayment Program, Nursing Training, and Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) programs with facilities that are approved for their programs. Comments are due by March 2, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 30, 2025 - A Virginia law that went info effect Nov. 19, 2025 allows certified nurse midwives to perform newborn care on their own in hospitals, though this is not a requirement. Supporters say this change might help keep labor and delivery units open in rural areas.
Source: Cardinal News
Dec 29, 2025 - Reports on the stress placed on emergency medical services (EMS) due to labor and delivery unit shortages in Arkansas. Discusses the impact on recruiting and retaining EMS workforce, limited labor and delivery training, and long travel times for adequate care.
Source: Arkansas Advocate
A Group of Community Members Are Hoping to Start a New Medical School in Shasta. Here's What We Know
Dec 23, 2025 - Describes a community driven effort to establish a medical school in a rural California county to improve healthcare access and recruit the physician workforce to the area. Discusses the role residencies play in retaining the physician workforce, the goals of the committee driving the movement, and the resources required to open a medical school.
Source: Shasta Scout
Dec 23, 2025 - Profiles the Chair of Surgery at the University of South Dakota's Sanford School of Medicine. Describes his early education and work history as well as the need for and creation of a rural general surgery program.
Source: American College of Surgeons