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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health workforce

Evaluation of a Potential New Health Sciences School at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke to Meet the Needs of the Region and State
Results of a study exploring the feasibility of establishing a School of Health Sciences and Health Care in Robeson County, a rural high-poverty area ranked among the worst for health outcomes in North Carolina in 2016. Features statistics on the North Carolina workforce and education programs in optometry, occupational therapy, nutrition and dietetics, as well as physician assistants and nurse practitioners.
Author(s): Julie C. Spero, Thomas J. Bacon, Evan M. Galloway, et al.
Date: 12/2017
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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Rapid Evidence Review: What are Effective Approaches for Recruiting and Retaining Rural Primary Care Health Professionals?
Provides an overview of evidence concerning the effectiveness of rural-specific recruitment and retention strategies. Discusses several distinct approaches, overlapping strategies, and targeted efforts that may change based on a health professional's career stage.
Date: 12/2017
Sponsoring organization: AcademyHealth
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Inpatient Healthcare Facilities Had Modest Employment Gains in Rural Areas, Despite the Effects of the Great Recession
Line chart showing employment in rural inpatient healthcare facilities compared to other industries from 2001 to 2015.
Date: 12/2017
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Physician Supervision Requirements in Critical Access Hospitals and Small Rural Hospitals
Provides background information on Medicare physician supervision requirements, and examines how enforcement of these requirements impacts access to care, quality of care, and staffing needs in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and small rural hospitals. Findings are based on interviews with CMS officials, hospital association representatives, and CAH administrators in several states.
Date: 12/2017
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Examination of Community Health Workers in Rural Pennsylvania
Assesses the extent to which Community Health Workers (CHWs) are used in rural Pennsylvania to address the healthcare needs of underserved people. Includes statistics on CHW salaries, caseloads, hours of paid work, health outcomes, demographic characteristics, and training and certification.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Darlene Ardary, Jennifer DellAntonio, Joyce Du Gan, et al.
Date: 11/2017
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Staff Sharing Arrangements for Local Public Health
Describes several case studies of local public health organizations' arrangements for sharing health directors, physicians, nurses, inspectors, social workers, or administration staff. Includes descriptions of such arrangements in public health agencies in rural areas of Webster County, Iowa and in 3 adjacent northwestern Oregon counties with a mixture of urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Author(s): Gerald Young, Joshua Franzel
Date: 11/2017
Sponsoring organizations: Center for State & Local Government Excellence, Public Health Accreditation Board
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South Carolina's Rural Health Action Plan
Describes South Carolina's plan to improve rural health outcomes, including 5 areas of focus, 15 recommendations, and 50+ action steps, intended to spur progress over the following 3-5 years. Focus areas include access to care, community assets leadership and engagement (CALE), economic development, education, and housing.
Additional links: Brief
Date: 11/2017
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Office of Rural Health
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Rural Health Research Recap: Rural Behavioral Health
Summarizes key findings from the Rural Health Research Centers' most recent rural behavioral health projects. Discusses mental illness prevalence in rural areas, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among rural children, access to behavioral health services in rural communities, and rural behavioral health interventions. Provides links to each of the referenced source documents.
Author(s): Shawnda Schroeder
Date: 11/2017
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Assessing the Impact of Washington State's Oral Health Workforce on Patient Access to Care
Examines the oral health workforce and access to oral care in Washington state. Includes information on workforce demographics, rural and urban distribution of oral health providers, and difficulty recruiting dental hygienists and assistants in rural areas. Provides recommendations, policy changes, and potential solutions offered by oral health workforce interviewees.
Additional links: Policy Brief
Author(s): Davis G. Patterson, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Malaika R. Schwartz, Lisa Hager, Susan M. Skillman
Date: 11/2017
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Informing the Tribal Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) 2.0 Evaluation Design: A Brief Review of the Literature
Summarizes results of a literature review on approaches to conducting research and evaluation in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Also examines strategies for recruitment and retention in tribal post-secondary education, AI/AN career pathways, and tribal college workforce development programs. Describes how the literature review informed the Tribal Tribal Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) 2.0 evaluation design.
Author(s): Michael Meit, Carol Hafford, Catharine Fromknecht, et al.
Date: 11/2017
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Children and Families
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