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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health workforce shortage designations

Diffusion of Physicians and Access To Primary Care: The Role of Person, Program, and Place
Examines factors which influence physicians' decisions to move into or out of Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and analyzes characteristics that may cause counties to gain or lose HPSA designation, using data from 2006, 2011, and 2013. Includes statistics with breakdowns such as change in physician-to-population ratio in urban, rural HPSA, and rural non-HPSA counties from 2010 to 2012, rates of inter-county and inter-state moves among physicians from 2006 to 2013, and characteristics of physicians by category of move.
Author(s): Thomas C. Ricketts
Date: 10/2015
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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Oral Health Care Access in New Hampshire
Illustrates the current state of oral health care in New Hampshire. Provides discussion on the barriers to accessing oral health care and the availability of dental care providers in the state.
Author(s): Eleanor M. Jaffee, Joan C. Widmer, Lisa I. Speropolous
Date: 09/2015
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
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Designation of Frontier Health Professional Shortage Areas
Discusses the frontier-specific health professional shortage area designation and the unique characteristics attributed to frontier areas that may contribute to a more fragile healthcare delivery system and a greater need for healthcare professionals. Includes policy recommendations supporting an appropriate designation, improved healthcare access, and assistance in recruiting healthcare providers.
Author(s): Susan Wilger, Charlie Alfero
Date: 04/2015
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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The Future of Rural Behavioral Health
Policy paper discussing the unique challenges of providing behavioral healthcare services in rural areas. Includes policy recommendations and interventions related to workforce development, reimbursement and financing, integration of care, and the use of technology in delivering behavioral healthcare.
Author(s): Will Wilson, Angela Bangs, Tammy Hatting
Date: 02/2015
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Health Workforce, Healthy Economy
Highlights the health workforce as an economic development strategy, as well as a way to improve healthcare access, particularly in rural communities. Identifies gaps in Arizona's health workforce by examining previous reports and available data, such as the number of licensed healthcare providers by county. Includes maps of Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).
Date: 01/2015
Sponsoring organizations: St. Luke's Health Initiatives (now Vitalyst Health Foundation), Vitalyst Health Foundation
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Maryland Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) Designations for Primary Care as of 12/31/2015
Shows the location and designation type of Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) for primary care in Maryland.
Date: 2015
Sponsoring organization: Maryland State Office of Rural Health
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Maryland Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) Designations for Mental Health as of 12/31/2015
Shows the location and designation type of Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) for mental health in Maryland.
Date: 2015
Sponsoring organization: Maryland State Office of Rural Health
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Maryland Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) Designations for Dental Care as of 12/31/2015
Shows the location and designation type of Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) for dental health in Maryland.
Date: 2015
Sponsoring organization: Maryland State Office of Rural Health
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The Utility of Rural and Underserved Designations in Geospatial Assessments of Distance Traveled to Healthcare Services: Implications for Public Health Research and Practice
Reviews different definitions and designations of rurality in relation to resident characteristics in a sample of 8 central Texas counties. Discusses the impact that rural definitions can have on research findings and health policy.
Author(s): Matthew Lee Smith, Justin B. Dickerson, Monica L. Wendel, et al.
Citation: Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2013, 960157
Date: 06/2013
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Iowa Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety Resource Plan, 2011
Presents the Iowa Department of Public Health strategic plan, including a rural health care resource plan. Discusses rural facts, access to health services, agricultural health and safety, and rural health workforce and information technology implications.
Date: 2011
Sponsoring organization: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
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