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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health workforce supply and demand

Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiary Access to Physician Services: Trends in Utilization of Services, 2000-2002
Reports on Medicare beneficiaries' access to physician services in 2000, 2001, and 2002, with comparison of rural versus urban access.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2005
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Characteristics of Registered Nurses in Rural vs. Urban Areas: Implications for Strategies to Alleviate Nursing Shortages in the United States
Reports on characteristics of rural and urban registered nurses in the United States based on data from a national survey.
Author(s): Susan M. Skillman, Lorella Palazzo, David Keepnews, L. Gary Hart
Date: 01/2005
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Physician Workforce: Supply Increased in Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Areas but Geographic Disparities Persisted
Describes the change in supply of physicians from 1991 to 2001. Includes data nationally and by state on physicians in nonmetropolitan areas and on the number of specialists versus generalists. Includes a list of Health Resources and Services Administration programs that address the supply and distribution of health professionals, with 1991 and 2001 expenditures for each program.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2003
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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The Contribution of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants to Generalist Care in Washington State
Describes the contribution to generalist care made by nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) in Washington State. Includes data on NP and PA contributions in rural areas.
Author(s): Eric H. Larson, Lorella Palazzo, Bobbi Berkowitz, Michael J. Pirani, L. Gary Hart
Citation: Health Services Research, 38(4), 1033-1050
Date: 08/2003
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Who is Caring for the Underserved? A Comparison of Primary Care Physicians and Nonphysician Clinicians in California and Washington
Compares the geographic distribution and patient populations of physician and nonphysician primary care clinicians. Includes the proportion of clinicians within each discipline practicing in rural areas, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), and areas with vulnerable populations.
Author(s): Kevin Grumbach, L. Gary Hart, Elizabeth Mertz, Janet Coffman, Lorella Palazzo
Citation: Annals of Family Medicine, 1(2), 97-104
Date: 07/2003
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Analysis of the Financial Conditions of Health Care Institutions in the Appalachian Region and their Economic Impacts
Describes the availability of healthcare services in Appalachia, the financial stability of Appalachian healthcare institutions, and the effect of hospital closures on Appalachian counties.
Author(s): Jeffrey Stensland, Curt Mueller, Janet Sutton
Date: 12/2002
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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Rural Research Focus: Rural Physician Shortages
Discusses a model for understanding how many physicians a rural community can support, based on research at the WWAMI Rural Health Research Center.
Author(s): George E. Wright, C. Holly A. Andrilla, L. Gary Hart
Date: 05/2002
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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A Targeted Look at the Rural Health Care Safety Net
Report to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Discusses the safety net, the web of professionals and institutions that provide care to the poor and uninsured regardless of ability of pay. Also covers key safety net programs under the purview of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Its findings fall into three categories: ensuring access to hospital services, ensuring access to primary care, and maintaining an adequate workforce.
Date: 04/2002
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Addressing Mental Health Workforce Needs in Underserved Rural Areas: Accomplishments and Challenges
Reviews efforts to address mental health workforce needs in underserved rural areas. Includes a history of federal efforts to address rural mental health workforce needs. Discusses Mental Health Professional Shortage Area (MHPSA) designations.
Author(s): Donna C. Bird, Patricia Dempsey, David Hartley
Date: 10/2001
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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If Fewer International Medical Graduates are Allowed in the U.S., Who Might Replace Them in Rural Underserved Areas?
Describes a study based on 1991 and 1996 data that identified rural communities that would be most affected by a decrease in availability of international medical graduates (IMGs) and perceptions of recruiters on who might replace IMGs in these areas.
Author(s): Leonard D. Baer, Thomas R. Konrad, Rebecca T. Slifkin
Date: 05/2001
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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