Rural Healthcare Workforce – Resources

COVID-19 Impact on Dental Service Delivery, Financing, Regulation, and Education Systems: An Environmental Scan
Describes the immediate and longer-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental care delivery, regulation, education, and finance. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Margaret Langelier, Aubri Kottek, Theekshana Fernando, et al.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Oral Health Workforce Research Center
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Changes in Telehealth Experienced by Advanced Practice RNs During COVID-19
Summarizes 7,467 advanced practice RNs' national survey responses from June-September 2020 about the use of telehealth before and during the pandemic, and analyzes free-text comments about how the use of telehealth changed during the pandemic. Discusses challenges in rural areas, including provider shortages and lack of broadband access.
Author(s): Mavis N. Schorn, Carole R. Myers, Julie Barroso, et al.
Citation: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 41(7), 507–513
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
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Preparing the Next Generation of the Healthcare Workforce: State Strategies for Recruitment and Retention
Provides an overview of the first year of the National Governors Association's Next Generation of the Healthcare Workforce project, which works with states on implementing strategies to strengthen and grow the next generation of the healthcare workforce. Outlines project outcomes and provides additional information on ongoing state healthcare workforce initiatives in participating states. Covers statewide cross-agency coordination, funding healthcare workforce initiatives, health equity and workforce diversity, data collection, career pathways, rural workforce, and more.
Author(s): Anna Heard, Shelby Hockenberry, Elijah McCabe, et al.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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Understanding and Overcoming Barriers to Rural Training in Family Medicine Obstetrics Fellowships
Highlights a study on access to rural-focused family medicine obstetrics (FM OB) fellowships for family medicine residency graduates. Explores the availability of rural-specific FM OB fellowships and the challenges programs face in providing rurally-oriented training to family medicine physicians. Breaks down data by fellowship type, training curriculum, and rurality of location, among other measures.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Recruiting the Next Generation of Behavioral Health Professionals
Podcast episode regarding the recruitment, training, and retention of behavioral health specialists in rural areas. Discusses the University of Iowa Health Care rural psychiatry residency track and Public Psychiatry Fellowship program.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Barriers to Rural Health Care From the Provider Perspective
Results of a study using data from interviews with 20 healthcare providers in rural areas of western Pennsylvania. Explores barriers to care, including cost and insurance, geographic dispersion, and provider shortage and burnout. Offers strategies for improvement, including use of telehealth, mobile clinics, and increased use of advanced practice providers.
Author(s): Avinash Maganty, Mary E. Byrnes, Megan Hamm, et al.
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 23(2), 7769
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
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Understanding the U.S. Behavioral Health Workforce Shortage
Discusses the shortage of behavioral health professionals across the country and highlights some of the contributing factors. Breaks down factors affecting licensed providers, clinical supporters, community care workers, and frontline workers. Makes recommendations for policymakers and includes considerations for rural areas.
Author(s): Nathaniel Counts
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Distribution of Direct Care Workforce COVID-19 Funding Between Rural and Urban Counties in Minnesota and Illinois
Brief highlights the differences in the distribution of CARES Act direct care workforce funding between rural and urban counties in Minnesota and Illinois. Discusses the differences in distribution between the two states and the consequences for rural COVID-19 outcomes.
Author(s): Katie Rydberg, Janette Dill, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Challenges and Solutions for Disaster Behavioral Health in Rural and Remote Communities
Describes the scope and diversity of rural and remote populations across the nation, highlighting sources of strength and struggle, including the effects of stigma, for rural Americans and rural healthcare providers. Explores potential approaches to disaster behavioral health in rural and remote areas, including governmental and policy approaches, community-based approaches, and telemedicine.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center
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Landscape of the Health Informatics Workforce: Rapid Response Brief
Focuses on the clinical informatics and public health, population health, and social service informatics subdomains of the health informatics workforce. Mentions resource hubs that serve rural communities by providing guidelines, toolkits, screening tools, and other resources. Examines social determinants of health and gives examples of clinical informatics work that can improve access to care for rural and underserved populations. Features statistics on physicians certified in clinical informatics from 2013-2022.
Author(s): Cynthia LeRouge, Shahida Shahrir, Bianca K Frogner
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies
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