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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Recruitment and retention of health professionals

Housing Shortages Are Making Recruitment and Retention Even More Challenging for Some Rural Healthcare Providers
Provides an overview of rural housing shortages and affordability concerns. Explains the impact of housing issues on the rural healthcare workforce. Features a housing development program involving a Critical Access Hospital in Colorado and an Oregon hotel conversion that combines units for healthcare workers and supportive housing.
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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South Dakota's Regional Services Designation Ambulance System Study
Report offering analysis of stakeholder interviews and performance data of emergency medical service (EMS) in rural South Dakota. Discusses recruitment and retention of workforce, volunteerism, training, data analysis, telehealth, access, and more. Offers recommendations based on key findings and a timeline for implementation.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Healthcare Strategists, South Dakota Department of Health
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Identifying Strategies for Strengthening the Health Care Workforce in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Provides an overview of recent trends in the shortage of the nursing, primary care, and behavioral healthcare workforce in Virginia. Summarizes findings from an environmental scan and qualitative and quantitative data analysis regarding recruitment and retention strategies. Identifies interventions that could help the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority (VHWDA) successfully address workforce shortages and which interventions should be prioritized based on desired policy outcomes. Presents a system dynamic model simulating the medium- to long-term supply and employment trends within Virginia's healthcare workforce under status quo conditions and under various policy interventions. Includes information on recruitment and retention in rural areas throughout.
Additional links: Annex, Research Brief: Recommendations for Strengthening the Health Care Workforce in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Author(s): Megan Andrew, Brian Briscombe, Raffaele Vardavas, et al.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Adapting to the New Workforce Environment: Hannibal Regional Healthcare System Outreach
Profiles Hannibal Regional Healthcare System (HRHS) in Hannibal, Missouri, which is addressing workforce challenges by working with area schools, colleges, and universities to increase opportunities for diverse occupations through internships, residencies, training, and curriculum.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Health is Primary: Charting a Path to Equity and Sustainability
Examines factors driving the downward trends in primary care, including fewer clinicians practicing primary care, fewer available appointments, lower spending on primary care, and fewer adults reporting that they have a usual source of primary care. Features a literature review, supply and demand analysis, and recommendations for potential solutions. Mentions rural throughout.
Additional links: Slide Presentation
Author(s): Alison Huffstetler, Ann Greiner, Anam Siddiqi, et al.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Primary Care Collaborative, Robert Graham Center
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2023 Health Workforce Research Symposium: Addressing Health Workforce Shortages Now & In the Future
A recording of the 2023 Health Workforce Research Symposium showcasing the work of 9 federally-funded health workforce research centers across the U.S. Focuses on health career education pathways and reducing health workforce turnover, with discussions specific to rural areas. Transcript available below description.
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: Health Workforce Technical Assistance Center
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Health Information Workforce: Survey Results on Workforce Challenges and the Role of Emerging Technologies
Presents results of an August 2023 survey of health information professionals on workforce challenges and the impact of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, on the health information workforce. Describes challenges for recruiting and retaining health information professionals, factors that influence turnover, and the impacts of understaffing on healthcare quality and reimbursement. Discusses the future outlook for the health information profession and offers policy recommendations to enhance workforce development. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organizations: American Health Information Management Association, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Preparing Behavioral Health Clinicians for Success and Retention in Rural Safety Net Practices
Policy brief on the impact of training focused on rural and underserved communities on the skills, successes, and retention of behavioral health clinicians in rural safety net practices. Summarizes findings related to training, experiences, and demographics of rural behavioral health safety net clinicians.
Author(s): Donald Pathman, Lisa de Saxe Zerden, Mandi Gingris, et al.
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: University of North Carolina Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center
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California Assembly Bill 2024: Report to the Legislature July 2023
Report analyzing hospital annual reports, surveys, and key informant interviews to determine the impact of California's Assembly Bill 2024 on physician recruitment and retention, discussing the benefits of employment versus contracting. Outlines how the bill addressed rural hospital-specific challenges and what challenges still remain.
Date: 07/2023
Sponsoring organization: California Department of Health Care Access and Information
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Research Insight: How Do Workforce Challenges and Strategies Vary Across Area Agencies on Aging?
Report analyzing workforce data for Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) to identify connections between workforce challenges and organizational characteristics. Includes rural and urban comparisons.
Date: 07/2023
Sponsoring organization: USAging
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