Rural Health
News by Topic: Health workforce supply and demand
Apr 1, 2024 - Describes challenges rural health systems face when fighting infectious diseases, including shortages of infectious diseases physicians, geographic isolation, and difficulties in accessing mentoring in infection prevention and control.
Source: JAMA Network
Mar 25, 2024 - Summarizes recent research finding that female patients at rural Community Health Centers are more likely to be behind on cervical cancer screenings than patients in urban community health centers. Discusses factors associated with the disparity including English proficiency, income levels, employment, and primary care physician access. Notes that the disparity grew during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Medical Xpress
Mar 21, 2024 - A charitable donation to a community health center system will increase access to ultrasound technology in Montana and Wyoming as well as train healthcare workforce on new sonography technology. Discusses workforce shortages and the impact of new technology on health outcomes in rural and frontier areas.
Source: Cowboy State Daily
Mar 19, 2024 - Discusses suicide rates in rural Minnesota and factors contributing to the trends including workforce shortages, stigma, and farming industry suicide rate disparities. Notes initiatives aiming to reduce the rates and challenges that remain.
Source: MinnPost
Mar 13, 2024 - A new mobile crisis response program is launching in rural Oregon, aiming to bring mental healthcare access to residents that may be far from services or without transportation. Discusses current and planned future funding, workforce challenges, and support for other first responders.
Source: KLCC, NPR
Mar 11, 2024 - Offers overview of priorities in the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 Budget for the Health Resources & Services Administration including youth mental health, maternity care deserts, access to primary care, opioid treatment and recovery, the healthcare workforce, and organ donation. Discusses rural specific needs throughout.
Source: Health Resources & Services Administration
Mar 6, 2024 - Discusses the rise in colorectal cancer rates and mortality disparities for Black and rural Americans. Highlights efforts by multiple states to increase screening rates including in rural West Virginia. Notes challenges for rural residents such as distance to care and shortages of specialists.
Source: Stateline
Mar 6, 2024 - Discusses the shortage of rural surgeons, noting challenges in building the rural surgeon workforce. Discusses rural training tracks, homegrown workforce, funding needs, and telemedicine as possible solutions for building the workforce.
Source: ACS Bulletin
Mar 5, 2024 - Discusses challenges with accessing mental healthcare, particularly in rural areas. Notes workforce shortages and low pay as contributors to limited access. Also discusses challenges for military service members including long wait times for appointments.
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office
Mar 4, 2024 - A rural Montana VA Community Living Center uses telehealth to connect residents with specialty care, allowing rural residents access to timely care. Notes this helps in areas with shortages of specialists and other healthcare workforce.
Source: Veteran's Administration