Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health workforce
Bypass of Local Surgical Care in North Carolina: Patient-Directed Care Destination and Utilization
Examines patient bypass of nearest surgical hospital (NSH) in North Carolina. Utilizes 2016-2019 patient data to analyze bypassing of local surgery care according to rurality of NSH and facility characteristics, general surgery workforce density by county, and patient characteristics, including residence of metro, micro, small town, or rural area.
Author(s): Mustafa Abid, Tyler Malone, Mark Holmes, Anthony Charles
Citation: The American Surgeon
Date: 02/2026
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Examines patient bypass of nearest surgical hospital (NSH) in North Carolina. Utilizes 2016-2019 patient data to analyze bypassing of local surgery care according to rurality of NSH and facility characteristics, general surgery workforce density by county, and patient characteristics, including residence of metro, micro, small town, or rural area.
Author(s): Mustafa Abid, Tyler Malone, Mark Holmes, Anthony Charles
Citation: The American Surgeon
Date: 02/2026
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Rebuilding Georgia's Rural Pediatric Pipeline: Part One
A podcast episode featuring stakeholders of a public-private partnership in Georgia focused on improving access to pediatric care in rural areas of the state. Discusses strategies such as addressing the rural healthcare provider pipeline, improving access to subspeciality collaboration, providing rural training opportunities for medical students, and more.
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Elisa Arespacochaga, Marc Welsh, Jean Sumner
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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A podcast episode featuring stakeholders of a public-private partnership in Georgia focused on improving access to pediatric care in rural areas of the state. Discusses strategies such as addressing the rural healthcare provider pipeline, improving access to subspeciality collaboration, providing rural training opportunities for medical students, and more.
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Elisa Arespacochaga, Marc Welsh, Jean Sumner
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Rural Health Transformation Program: State Focus on Community Health Workers
Describes examples of state initiatives regarding community health workers (CHWs) outlined Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) applications from Arizona, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Includes results of a scan of CHW proposals for each state with a publicly available RHTP application.
Author(s): Megan D'Alessandro, Sandra Wilkniss
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Describes examples of state initiatives regarding community health workers (CHWs) outlined Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) applications from Arizona, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Includes results of a scan of CHW proposals for each state with a publicly available RHTP application.
Author(s): Megan D'Alessandro, Sandra Wilkniss
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Indiana Physician Assistant Workforce: 2024 Data Report
Provides an overview of the physician assistant (PA) workforce in Indiana as of 2024. Focuses on total PA license renewals, demographic and employment characteristics, and county-level geographic distribution, including population to PA ratios.
Author(s): Cleveland Dietz, Sierra Vaughn, Brittany Daulton
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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Provides an overview of the physician assistant (PA) workforce in Indiana as of 2024. Focuses on total PA license renewals, demographic and employment characteristics, and county-level geographic distribution, including population to PA ratios.
Author(s): Cleveland Dietz, Sierra Vaughn, Brittany Daulton
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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Michigan Rural Behavioral Health Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Michigan in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Michigan in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Michigan Rural Obstetrical Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Michigan in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Michigan in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Michigan Rural Primary Care Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Michigan in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Michigan in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Telemedicine in Rural EMS: Expanding Capabilities and Scope
Discusses the integration of telemedicine and emergency medical services (EMS) for improving rural health outcomes by connecting EMS with trauma specialists and expanding what is available as prehospital care. Describes the workforce, equipment, and infrastructure needs.
Author(s): Andrew Dreiser
Citation: EMS World, 2026
Date: 02/2026
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Discusses the integration of telemedicine and emergency medical services (EMS) for improving rural health outcomes by connecting EMS with trauma specialists and expanding what is available as prehospital care. Describes the workforce, equipment, and infrastructure needs.
Author(s): Andrew Dreiser
Citation: EMS World, 2026
Date: 02/2026
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State Strategies to Improve Health Care Market Oversight
Presents a summary of a December 2025 roundtable with policymakers and regulators from 12 states regarding emerging challenges and policy strategies related to healthcare consolidation, workforce pressures, rising costs, and healthcare market oversight. Identifies broad themes, key challenges, examples of state strategies, and links to key resources.
Author(s): Erin C. Fuse Brown
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Peterson-Milbank Program for Sustainable Health Care Costs.
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Presents a summary of a December 2025 roundtable with policymakers and regulators from 12 states regarding emerging challenges and policy strategies related to healthcare consolidation, workforce pressures, rising costs, and healthcare market oversight. Identifies broad themes, key challenges, examples of state strategies, and links to key resources.
Author(s): Erin C. Fuse Brown
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Peterson-Milbank Program for Sustainable Health Care Costs.
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Strengthening California's Primary Care Team Workforce: Data and Recommendations for Action
Reports on the state of California's primary care workforce and provides policy recommendations. Provides data and discussion on topics including workforce-related barriers to care, approaches to payment and reimbursement, workforce training, and support for service delivery models. Discusses rural and underserved areas throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Summary of Policy Recommendations, Technical Appendix
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Katie Coleman, Janet Coffman, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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Reports on the state of California's primary care workforce and provides policy recommendations. Provides data and discussion on topics including workforce-related barriers to care, approaches to payment and reimbursement, workforce training, and support for service delivery models. Discusses rural and underserved areas throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Summary of Policy Recommendations, Technical Appendix
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Katie Coleman, Janet Coffman, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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