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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health workforce

Medicare Physician Payment: Impacts of Changes on Rural Physicians
Presents an overview of the effects of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 on physician payment rates in rural areas.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, A. Clinton MacKinney, Timothy D. McBride
Date: 09/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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A Primer on the Occupational Mix Adjustment to the Medicare Hospital Wage Index
Focuses on the occupational mix adjustment (OMA) to the labor-related share in the hospital inpatient prospective payment system. Explains what the OMA is, why it is needed, and how it has been calculated. Discusses reasons the effect of the OMA has been less than some rural advocates anticipated.
Author(s): Kristin Reiter, Rebecca Slifkin, Mark Holmes
Date: 09/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Evaluation of Alternative Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) Definitions in Washington State
Technical brief describing the differences in Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation status of the 124 Health Service Areas (HSAs) in Washington State that result when the current designation system is used and provider counts versus provider full-time equivalencies (FTEs) are used.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, L. Gary Hart
Date: 08/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Rural Health Workforce Issues: Challenges and Opportunities National Rural Task Force 2009 Meeting Summary
Summarizes the discussion and outcomes from the National Rural Task Force 2009 meeting, which included updates from the Health Resources and Services Administration and Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Set goals for the upcoming year and lists steps to take to mitigate issues identified in groups at the meeting.
Date: 07/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Medicare Physician Payments: Trends in Service Utilization, Spending, and Fees Prompt Consideration of Alternative Payment Approaches
Statement discussing the sustainable growth rate (SGR) system, which Medicare uses to determine annual changes to physician fees. Includes some rural-specific information.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): A. Bruce Steinwald
Date: 07/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Information Gaps on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Population: A Background Paper
Presents the relevant issues regarding the mental health information needs of deaf and hard of hearing populations, particularly in rural America.
Date: 05/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
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Foreign Physicians: Preliminary Findings on the Use of J-1 Visa Waivers to Practice in Underserved Areas
Reports preliminary findings regarding the number of J-1 visa waivers requested by states and federal agencies and states' views on the 30-waiver limit and on their willingness to have unused waiver allotments redistributed.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Training Community Health Workers: Using Technology and Distance Education
Highlights programs and issues related to the use of technology and distance education to train community health workers (CHWs) in frontier areas. Includes examples of successful programs.
Date: 04/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
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Emergency Medical Services in Frontier Areas: Volunteer Community Organizations
Provides information on paid and volunteer Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workers in frontier and rural areas. Discusses challenges facing volunteer EMS systems and provides examples of different types of programs from several states.
Date: 04/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Frontier Communities
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Rural Dental Practice: A Tale of Four States
Reports the findings of a study investigating rural dentist issues, such as: demography, training, practice characteristics, staff, and job satisfaction in Alabama, California, Maine, and Missouri.
Additional links: Project Summary
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Denise M. Lishner, L. Gary Hart
Date: 03/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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