Rural Health
News by Topic: Physicians
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 - 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
Dec 23, 2024 - Describes how wildfires in August 2023 have contributed to worsening physician workforce shortages in rural Maui County, Hawai'i. Notes that housing shortages and the rising cost of living have led many healthcare workers, including physicians, to consider moving. Highlights a variety of recruitment efforts including workforce rental housing and a state loan repayment program.
Source: Honolulu Civil Beat
CDC: Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review
Federal Register
Dec 20, 2024 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is allowing an additional 30 days for comments on a proposed information collection project titled the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS). The goal of the project is to assess the health of the population through patient use of physician and advanced practice provider offices, health centers, and to monitor the characteristics of physician and advanced practice provider practices. Comments are due within 30 days of this notice.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 19, 2024 - Reports on physician shortages in rural communities and efforts to reduce those shortages through practice incentives. Discusses remaining barriers including funding for rural residencies, the amount of time necessary to launch a rural residency, and patient density for specialists.
Source: Medscape Medical News
HRSA: Meetings of the Council on Graduate Medical Education
Federal Register
Dec 19, 2024 - Announcement of public meetings of the Council on Graduate Medical Education (COGME) to take place throughout the 2025 calendar year. The COGME makes recommendations to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Congress on policy and program development for section 762 of Title VII of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act). Meetings will be held on April 10-11, 2025, and September 11-12, 2025. Draft agendas and meeting materials will be posted on the COGME website 30 calendar days before each meeting.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 17, 2024 - Highlights a new report on compensation trends in 2024 for rural primary care providers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and specialists.
Source: National Rural Health Association, Stroudwater
Dec 12, 2024 - Interviews a rural Missouri family medicine physician about the benefits of rural practice and the importance of a good patient-physician relationship.
Source: KBIA