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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Health workforce

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 20, 2025 - Profiles a doctor in rural North Dakota, discussing why he wants to practice in a rural community and a program that offers student loan repayment in return for practicing in qualified rural locations of the state.
Source: KFYR
Jan 17, 2025 - Notice of proposed rulemaking from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proposing regulatory changes aimed at expanding patient access to controlled substance medications via telemedicine while mitigating the risks of diversion associated with such expansion. Proposed changes would establish a Special Registration framework and authorize three types of Special Registration that would allow more comprehensive prescribing, including prescribing of Schedule II and narcotic and non-narcotic controlled substances in limited circumstances, by properly registered physicians and mid-level practitioners and dispensing by online telemedicine platforms that constitute covered online telemedicine platforms. Comments are due by March 18, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 17, 2025 - Interviews a University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh nursing student about her experience with telehealth education as part of the nursing school curriculum. The goal of the program is to train the workforce and in turn increase access to healthcare, particularly in rural communities.
Source: UW Oshkosh Today
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 15, 2025 - Announcement of public meetings of the National Advisory Council on the National Health Service Corps (NACNHSC) for the 2025 calendar year. Meetings will be held on March 18-19, 2025; June 24-25, 2025; and November 18-19, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 15, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) terminating its rulemaking on occupational exposure to COVID-19 in healthcare setting. This rule explains that OSHA has concluded that the most effective and efficient use of agency resources to protect healthcare workers from occupational exposure to COVID-19, as well as a host of other infectious diseases, is to focus its resources on the completion of an Infectious Diseases rulemaking for healthcare rather than a disease-specific standard. The termination of the rulemaking is effective January 15, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
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