Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health workforce
Pennsylvania Rural Primary Care Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Pennsylvania 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: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Pennsylvania 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: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
Dementia Diagnostic Deserts: Workforce and Geographic Inequities in the Diagnostic Pathway for Cognitive Impairment
Describes the "Triple Disadvantage Zones" or the places where rurality, Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas, and social deprivation converge to create a dementia diagnostic desert resulting in both delayed diagnosis and over-testing. Discusses training gaps for nurse practitioners and physician assistants as well as policy measures to mitigate diagnosis errors.
Author(s): Zhijing Xu, Ying Xue, Yaguang Zheng, Bei Wu
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
view details
Describes the "Triple Disadvantage Zones" or the places where rurality, Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas, and social deprivation converge to create a dementia diagnostic desert resulting in both delayed diagnosis and over-testing. Discusses training gaps for nurse practitioners and physician assistants as well as policy measures to mitigate diagnosis errors.
Author(s): Zhijing Xu, Ying Xue, Yaguang Zheng, Bei Wu
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
view details
Pennsylvania Rural Obstetrical Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Pennsylvania 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: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Pennsylvania 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: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
A Geographic Disparities Analysis Between Standard of Care and Clinical Trial CAR-T Patients in Kansas
Examines demographic and geographic disparities in cancer care access within clinical trials at the University of Kansas Cancer Center (KUCC) as well as standard-of-care (SOC) chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy at the University of Kansas Health System (TUKHS). Provides data breakdowns according to treatment type, demographics, rural versus urban location, Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation, and distance to the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC). Discusses the importance of access to (CAR)-T cell therapy and need for targeted outreach in rural and HPSA-designated areas.
Author(s): Sam Pepper, Aliya Rashid, Carine Tabak, et al.
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 15(5), e71974
Date: 05/2026
view details
Examines demographic and geographic disparities in cancer care access within clinical trials at the University of Kansas Cancer Center (KUCC) as well as standard-of-care (SOC) chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy at the University of Kansas Health System (TUKHS). Provides data breakdowns according to treatment type, demographics, rural versus urban location, Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation, and distance to the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC). Discusses the importance of access to (CAR)-T cell therapy and need for targeted outreach in rural and HPSA-designated areas.
Author(s): Sam Pepper, Aliya Rashid, Carine Tabak, et al.
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 15(5), e71974
Date: 05/2026
view details
Rural Health Transformation Fund: Workforce Trends and Implications for Rural Care
Webinar presenting findings from a review of all 50 state Rural Health Transformation Fund plans, examining how workforce issues are framed, strategies that states are prioritizing, and how telehealth and digital health are reflected in workforce planning. Also explores the challenge of maintaining the workforce needed to support technology-enabled care in rural settings.
Additional links: PowerPoint, Transcript
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
view details
Webinar presenting findings from a review of all 50 state Rural Health Transformation Fund plans, examining how workforce issues are framed, strategies that states are prioritizing, and how telehealth and digital health are reflected in workforce planning. Also explores the challenge of maintaining the workforce needed to support technology-enabled care in rural settings.
Additional links: PowerPoint, Transcript
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
view details
How Do Changes in Medicare Reimbursement for Mental Health Services Impact Access for Rural Older Adults?
Examines how policies allowing marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) to independently bill Medicare have impacted mental healthcare access among Medicare beneficiaries living in rural areas. Utilizes interview data from 14 leaders representing rural health systems and mental health organizations regarding their perceptions on mental healthcare access, Medicare reimbursement policy, and the inclusion of MFTs and MHCs as mental health providers for Medicare recipients.
Author(s): Natalia V. Oster, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Davis G. Patterson, Signe Burchim, Janessa M. Graves
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70162
Date: 05/2026
view details
Examines how policies allowing marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) to independently bill Medicare have impacted mental healthcare access among Medicare beneficiaries living in rural areas. Utilizes interview data from 14 leaders representing rural health systems and mental health organizations regarding their perceptions on mental healthcare access, Medicare reimbursement policy, and the inclusion of MFTs and MHCs as mental health providers for Medicare recipients.
Author(s): Natalia V. Oster, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Davis G. Patterson, Signe Burchim, Janessa M. Graves
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70162
Date: 05/2026
view details
Tennessee's Community Health Worker Strategy Is Succeeding. Which State Will Be Next?
Discusses the role community health workers (CHWs) can play in improving healthcare outcomes and addressing unmet needs in both rural and urban communities. Details Tennessee's state-funded implementation of a evidence-based CHW infrastructure, and highlights the outcomes over the first two years of the program. Explores how this approach could be implemented in other states.
Author(s): Victor Wu, Brea Burke, Nikayla Boyd, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 05/2026
view details
Discusses the role community health workers (CHWs) can play in improving healthcare outcomes and addressing unmet needs in both rural and urban communities. Details Tennessee's state-funded implementation of a evidence-based CHW infrastructure, and highlights the outcomes over the first two years of the program. Explores how this approach could be implemented in other states.
Author(s): Victor Wu, Brea Burke, Nikayla Boyd, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 05/2026
view details
Broadband Access and Ophthalmologist Density in the United States: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study
Examines the relationship between broadband access and ophthalmologist density according to urbanicity and county-level demographic variables. Utilizes 2019 data from multiple national data sources and provides county-level U.S. maps showing ophthalmologist density, broadband access, and counties with both low broadband and ophthalmologist access.
Author(s): Patrick Akarapimand, John C. Lin, Ingrid U. Scott, Sally L. Baxter
Citation: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 12, e88473
Date: 05/2026
view details
Examines the relationship between broadband access and ophthalmologist density according to urbanicity and county-level demographic variables. Utilizes 2019 data from multiple national data sources and provides county-level U.S. maps showing ophthalmologist density, broadband access, and counties with both low broadband and ophthalmologist access.
Author(s): Patrick Akarapimand, John C. Lin, Ingrid U. Scott, Sally L. Baxter
Citation: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 12, e88473
Date: 05/2026
view details
Changes in Staffing, Resident Health, Closure, and Financial Performance of Rural Nursing Homes from 2017 to 2022
Examines changes in various characteristics of nursing homes, using data from 2017-2022. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, and small/isolated rural areas.
Author(s): Gulrukh Mehboob, Hari Sharma, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
view details
Examines changes in various characteristics of nursing homes, using data from 2017-2022. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, and small/isolated rural areas.
Author(s): Gulrukh Mehboob, Hari Sharma, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
view details
Beyond the Shortage: What Rural Medicine Still Gets Right
Commentary describing the importance of continuity in rural healthcare, leading to better outcomes and increased patient trust. Discusses the advantages of clinicians knowing their patients well.
Author(s): James R. Burmeister, Ida J. Rubino
Citation: Family Medicine, 58(5), 370-371
Date: 05/2026
view details
Commentary describing the importance of continuity in rural healthcare, leading to better outcomes and increased patient trust. Discusses the advantages of clinicians knowing their patients well.
Author(s): James R. Burmeister, Ida J. Rubino
Citation: Family Medicine, 58(5), 370-371
Date: 05/2026
view details