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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health workforce supply and demand

Medical Education for African American Communities in the Rural South: A Focus Group Approach to Identify Fundamental Considerations
Examines the shortage of African American medical students in the rural South based on interview transcripts from rural medical educators, African American alumni, and community and institutional associates part of a rural medicine education pipeline. Includes themes such as how to define rural minority students and rural minority student recruitment and retention. Discusses collaborative strategies in rural medical education to improve healthcare disparities in shortage areas.
Author(s): John R. Wheat, Antonio J. Gardner, Laura H. Downey, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(3), 535-544
Date: 03/2022
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Palliative Care for Rural Growth and Wellbeing: Identifying Perceived Barriers and Facilitators in Access to Palliative Care in Rural Indiana, USA
Interviews 15 palliative care providers to identify barriers and facilitators to access for palliative care in rural Indiana. Discusses knowledge of and beliefs about palliative care, workforce supply and training, timing of the introduction to palliative care, associated costs, and distance to care.
Author(s): Nasreen Lalani, Yun Cai
Citation: BMC Palliative Care, 21, 25
Date: 02/2022
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Where Are the BSN-Educated RNs in Texas?
Offers county-level data on the distribution of bachelor's degree educated registered nurses in Texas. Includes rural and urban comparisons.
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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Rural Physician Recruitment and Staffing Survey Results
White paper examining the results of an October 2021 survey of 1,311 physicians,169 administrators, and 158 advanced practice providers. Describes characteristics of respondents with breakdowns by urban, suburban, or rural location. Explores top reasons for choosing a rural practice location, incentives with the greatest influence, and reasons for declining offers.
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Jackson Physician Search
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Toward a Sustainable and Diversified Rural Health Workforce
Policy position paper focused on the rural health workforce. Provides an analysis of rural healthcare workforce data as well as federal and state policy levers related to the healthcare workforce. Offers policy recommendations and identifies areas for future analysis.
Author(s): Alison Coates, Whitney Zahnd, Courtney Burgin
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Mental Health in Rural Areas
Policy position paper focused on mental health in rural areas. Discusses barriers and policy recommendations regarding the availability, access, and acceptability of mental health care in rural communities.
Author(s): Brenda Mack, Heather Whetsell, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Recruiting, Revitalizing & Diversifying: Examining the Health Care Workforce Shortage
Recording of February 10, 2022 testimony before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, offering recommendations for strategies to alleviate anticipated shortages in the healthcare workforce, including in rural areas. Features testimonies by representatives of the National Nurse Practitioner Residency and Fellowship Training Consortium, Xavier University of Louisiana, the National Institute for Medical Assistant Advancement, and the Heritage Foundation.
Additional links: C. Reynold Verret Testimony, Margaret Flinter Testimony, Norma Quinones Testimony, Rachel Greszler Testimony
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Pandemic Increases Pressure on Rural Hospitals & Communities: Vulnerability, Health Inequity and Staffing Crisis Amplified in Pandemic's Third Year
Examines the stability of the rural healthcare safety net. Discusses disparities between rural and urban communities and communities with hospitals vulnerable to closure. Describes the benefits of COVID-19 relief funding on rural hospitals and how scheduled reimbursement cuts and staffing shortages could impact hospitals' financial stability. Also discusses how staffing shortages impact access to obstetrics and chemotherapy care in rural areas.
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Missouri Area Health Education Centers Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis
Provides access to Missouri Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) needs assessments reports for the 7 AHEC regions in the state. Includes rural versus urban demographic data and healthcare workforce data, as well as county-level data on Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) and Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Missouri Health Care Workforce Project, University of Missouri Center for Health Policy
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Longitudinal Assessment of a Dental and Medical Student Service Program in Appalachia: Successes and Lessons Learned
Results of a study exploring a West Virginia University Institute for Community and Rural Health service scholarship program implemented in 2011 to address a lack of dental and primary care in rural and underserved areas. Features statistics including program participant characteristics, with breakdowns by rural or urban background, and practice site characteristics for participants with fulfilled program status, with breakdowns by rural or underserved location.
Author(s): April Vestal, Fotinos Panagakos, Treah Haggerty, Ashley Brianna Sheppard
Citation: Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 82(1), 113-117
Date: 01/2022
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