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Resources by Topic: Maternal health workforce

Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis
Documentation of a March 23, 2021, House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies hearing on maternal health disparities. Discusses causes and possible policy options to reduce these disparities.
Date: 03/2021
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
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Rural Obstetric Unit Closures and Maternal and Infant Health
Policy paper examining the discontinuation of obstetric services in rural communities. Discusses factors contributing to obstetric unit closures, including hospital financial constraints, Medicaid reimbursement rates, and maternal health workforce concerns. Offers policy recommendations to prevent additional obstetric unit closures in rural areas.
Author(s): Lindsay Corcoran, Catherine Clary, Sarah Brinkman
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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The Essential Role of Family Physicians in Providing Cesarean Sections in Rural Communities
Policy brief describing percentages of family physicians (FPs) providing obstetric services and cesarean deliveries as the primary surgeon, using data from the 2017 and 2018 American Board of Family Medicine's Family Medicine Certification Examination registration questionnaire for FPs seeking to continue their certification. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, micropolitan, large rural, and small rural locations.
Author(s): Sebastian T. Tong, Aimee R. Eden, Zachary J. Morgan, Andrew W. Bazemore, Lars E. Peterson
Citation: Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 34(1), 10-11
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Emergency Obstetric Training Needed in Rural Hospitals without Obstetric Units
Results of a survey of 47 nurse managers and emergency department administrators from rural hospitals without obstetric care. Examines the types of trainings and resources that would better prepare these hospitals to handle obstetric emergencies.
Author(s): Mary Gilbertson, Mariana Story Tuttle, Kristin DeArruda Wharton, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Models of Success in Rural Maternity Care: Kearny County Hospital
Profiles the maternity program at Kearny County Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in rural Lakin, Kansas. Describes key features of the program including mission-based recruitment and strong communication. Includes recommendations for emulating this model.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Mary Gilbertson
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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The Supply and Rural-Urban Distribution of the Obstetrical Care Workforce in the U.S
Highlights the supply of obstetrical care workers in rural and urban areas in the U.S. Compares rates of midwives, advanced practice midwives, obstetricians, and family practice physicians who deliver babies per 100,000 women of childbearing age in rural counties. Features a state-by state analysis and state-level profiles.
Additional links: State-level Reports
Author(s): Davis Patterson, Holly Andrilla, Lisa Garberson
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Maternal and Obstetric Care Challenges in Rural America
Provides an overview of the clinical factors and social determinants of health that may increase the risk of maternal morbidity and mortality in rural communities. Discusses the impact of insurance coverage status, hospital and obstetric unit closures, and workforce shortages on rural maternal health. Describes the role of the Department of Health and Human Services in addressing maternal health outcomes. Offers policy recommendations to reduce rural maternal health disparities.
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Understanding and Addressing the Drivers of Infant Mortality in Maine
Overview of infant mortality data for Maine between 2000 and 2017. Includes county-level data as well as rural and urban comparisons. Discusses causes of mortality, risk factors, challenges for rural residents in the Maine healthcare system, social determinants of health, and more. Makes recommendations for decreasing infant mortality with specific recommendations for rural.
Author(s): Katherine Flaherty
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
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Rural Availability of the Obstetrician-Gynecologist Physician and Certified Nurse Midwife Workforce
Brief examining Obstetrician-Gynecologist workforce and maternal care in rural Arizona by county, discussing impacts of workforce shortages on rural mothers.
Author(s): B Koch, S Coates, S Brady, H Carter, D Derksen
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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Arizona Workforce Report: Obstetrician-Gynecologist Physicians and Certified Nurse Midwives
Reports on the availability of maternal health providers in rural Arizona, including an overview of women's health and rural maternal health disparities. Examines maternal health workforce by rural-metro designation, state and county, education, and more using Arizona Medical Board and Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners data.
Author(s): B Koch, S Coates, B Brady, et al.
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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