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Rural Healthcare Workforce – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Healthcare Workforce.

The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections From 2021 to 2036
Projects future supply of active physicians by examining trends in key determinants and the sensitivity of supply projections to changes in determinants. Features statistics including projected demand for primary care or non-primary care specialties by urban or rural location, with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density.
Author(s): Tim Dall, Ryan Reynolds, Ritashree Chakrabarti, et al.
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Association of American Medical Colleges
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Nursing Home Workforce Issues and Inequities
Offers an overview of issues related to the direct care workforce in nursing homes including staffing shortages, recruitment and retention, low wages, job training, interdisciplinary care, and more. Discusses proposed policies offering workforce-related reforms. Discusses rural throughout.
Author(s): Jasmine L. Travers, Rita Choula, Edem Hado
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Physician and Advanced Practice Clinician Burnout in Rural and Urban Settings
Describes burnout and contributing work conditions among physicians and advanced practice clinicians, using data from an anonymous electronic survey conducted in March 2022. Explores the effect of COVID-19 on health workforce burnout, and features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Melissa L. Harry, Nancy L. Sudak, Mary J. Engels, et al.
Citation: The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 37(1), 43-58
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
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Clinician Burnout in Rural & Tribal Communities
An infographic that describes clinician burnout in rural and tribal areas, with a focus on staffing challenges, cultural and community factors, scope of practice, continuity of care issues, and related resources and strategies to mitigate challenges.
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Health Service Corps
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Practical Guide for Expanding the Community-Based Behavioral Health Workforce
Explores the role of community-initiated care (CIC) and behavioral health support specialists (BHSS) in filling gaps in behavioral healthcare services and supporting community wellness. Provides guidance, strategies, and best practices for addressing behavioral health disparities in underserved communities and expanding the BHSS and CIC workforce.
Date: 2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Expanding Behavioral Health Care Workforce Participation in Medicare, Medicaid, and Marketplace Plans
Report highlights barriers to obtaining behavioral health treatment on Medicare, Medicaid, and Marketplace plans. Discusses barriers specific to rural and tribal communities. Details behavioral workforce needs and makes policy recommendations.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Confronting Workforce Shortages and Health Worker Well-Being
Six videos addressing the impact of healthcare worker shortages and how those shortages affect individual well-being and the ability to provide care in rural communities. Includes a keynote presentation by the Chief Medical Officer of the Indian Health Service. Transcripts available under the descriptions of the videos.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Academy of Medicine
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A National Staffing Emergency in Rural Health Care
Podcast episode featuring a discussion with three rural hospital executives from Colorado, Wisconsin, and Michigan regarding workforce shortages in rural hospitals. Describes factors driving workforce challenges; recruitment, onboarding, and retention strategies; approaches to introducing healthcare careers to youth and the community; and the role of technology in meeting healthcare needs.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Addressing the Direct Care Workforce Shortage: A Bipartisan Call to Action
Report discusses direct care worker shortages throughout the country. Details shortages of home health aids, certified nursing assistants, and residential care aids, among other direct care workers, and makes recommendations for decreasing shortages. Highlights some of the added barriers faced by rural communities.
Author(s): Lisa Harootunian, Kamryn Perry, Allison Buffett, et al.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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The State of Rural Provider Compensation in 2023: Rural Provider & Advanced Practice Provider Compensation Survey Results
Results of a survey of over 6,000 rural providers, conducted in January and February of 2023 to provide insight into rural healthcare organizations and promote evidence-based, informed decisions when considering physician and advanced practice provider compensation. Features statistics with breakdowns by type of provider, specialty area, and Federal Office of Rural Health Policy region.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Association, Stroudwater Associates
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Last Updated: 11/14/2024