Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Recruitment and retention of health professionals
Strengthening the Entry-Level Health Care Workforce: Finding a Path
Examines gaps in the existing healthcare workforce, challenges facing entry-level healthcare workers (EHCW), current EHCW training programs and contexts where training programs are used effectively, and strategies and policy opportunities to strengthen the EHCW. Includes rural references throughout and case studies for programs in rural Alaska and Washington. Provides an interactive inventory of existing policies and programs that support EHCW training, recruitment, and retention.
Additional links: Entry-Level Health Care Workforce: Information and Programs Visualization Tool
Author(s): Shira H. Fischer, Ryan K. McBain, Laura J. Faherty, et al.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, RAND Corporation
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Examines gaps in the existing healthcare workforce, challenges facing entry-level healthcare workers (EHCW), current EHCW training programs and contexts where training programs are used effectively, and strategies and policy opportunities to strengthen the EHCW. Includes rural references throughout and case studies for programs in rural Alaska and Washington. Provides an interactive inventory of existing policies and programs that support EHCW training, recruitment, and retention.
Additional links: Entry-Level Health Care Workforce: Information and Programs Visualization Tool
Author(s): Shira H. Fischer, Ryan K. McBain, Laura J. Faherty, et al.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, RAND Corporation
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Informing Health Care Workforce Policy by Leveraging Data: A Toolkit for States
Describes how healthcare workforce data can be used to address questions regarding access to care. Discusses three key considerations for states to improve their healthcare workforce data collection practices. Includes examples from states that utilized data to inform policy.
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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Describes how healthcare workforce data can be used to address questions regarding access to care. Discusses three key considerations for states to improve their healthcare workforce data collection practices. Includes examples from states that utilized data to inform policy.
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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Models of Success in Rural Maternity Care: Kearny County Hospital
Profiles the maternity program at Kearny County Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in rural Lakin, Kansas. Describes key features of the program including mission-based recruitment and strong communication. Includes recommendations for emulating this model.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Mary Gilbertson
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Profiles the maternity program at Kearny County Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in rural Lakin, Kansas. Describes key features of the program including mission-based recruitment and strong communication. Includes recommendations for emulating this model.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Mary Gilbertson
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Louisiana Primary Care Needs Assessment: Closing the Gap on Healthcare Disparities and Workforce Shortages
Identifies unmet needs and disparities in health outcomes in Louisiana, explores health workforce concerns, and discusses barriers to accessing healthcare. Includes a section on Health Professional Shortage Areas and mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Hayley Alexander, Barrie Black, Nicole Coarsey, Kimberly Brent
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: Well-Ahead Louisiana
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Identifies unmet needs and disparities in health outcomes in Louisiana, explores health workforce concerns, and discusses barriers to accessing healthcare. Includes a section on Health Professional Shortage Areas and mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Hayley Alexander, Barrie Black, Nicole Coarsey, Kimberly Brent
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: Well-Ahead Louisiana
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Profiles of Rural Medical Educators: Conversations with our Nation's Experts on Reversing Rural Physician Shortages
E-book featuring conversations with 16 prominent educators, offering insights on training and retaining medical doctors in rural communities. Includes perspectives of current and past National Rural Health Association members and national experts on reversing rural physician shortages and ways in which to deal with inadequate funding and resources. Intended for educators, politicians, physicians, administrators, medical students, funders, and rural communities seeking to recruit and retain excellent doctors.
Author(s): Rural Medical Educator Group
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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E-book featuring conversations with 16 prominent educators, offering insights on training and retaining medical doctors in rural communities. Includes perspectives of current and past National Rural Health Association members and national experts on reversing rural physician shortages and ways in which to deal with inadequate funding and resources. Intended for educators, politicians, physicians, administrators, medical students, funders, and rural communities seeking to recruit and retain excellent doctors.
Author(s): Rural Medical Educator Group
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Rural EMS COVID-19 Preparedness Checklist
Provides a checklist for rural response agencies to evaluate their current level of preparedness and identify areas that need additional action to better respond to COVID-19. Covers planning, strategy, personal protective equipment and supplies, workforce and recruiting, and funding.
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organizations: American Ambulance Association, Federal Healthcare Resilience Working Group
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Provides a checklist for rural response agencies to evaluate their current level of preparedness and identify areas that need additional action to better respond to COVID-19. Covers planning, strategy, personal protective equipment and supplies, workforce and recruiting, and funding.
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organizations: American Ambulance Association, Federal Healthcare Resilience Working Group
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Addressing Rural Health Disparities in a Pandemic
Public Health Review podcast in which 3 speakers discuss the impact of COVID-19 on rural health infrastructure and workforce. Describes how to improve conditions in rural communities, increase access to quality healthcare, and implement innovative strategies for health workforce recruitment and retention.
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Public Health Review podcast in which 3 speakers discuss the impact of COVID-19 on rural health infrastructure and workforce. Describes how to improve conditions in rural communities, increase access to quality healthcare, and implement innovative strategies for health workforce recruitment and retention.
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Advocacy in New Hampshire Procures More Funding for Provider Recruitment
Describes how the New Hampshire Health Care Workforce Coalition lobbied for state legislation to increase the annual budget for the State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) to enhance recruitment of healthcare providers. SLRP activities include securing hospitalists for Critical Access Hospitals, Medicaid school psychologists, and other healthcare professionals; developing loan repayment programs for dentists and behavioral health providers; and more.
Author(s): Beth Blevins
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Describes how the New Hampshire Health Care Workforce Coalition lobbied for state legislation to increase the annual budget for the State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) to enhance recruitment of healthcare providers. SLRP activities include securing hospitalists for Critical Access Hospitals, Medicaid school psychologists, and other healthcare professionals; developing loan repayment programs for dentists and behavioral health providers; and more.
Author(s): Beth Blevins
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Pennsylvania Mental Health Care Workforce Shortage: Challenges and Solutions: A Staff Study
Provides a discussion of mental healthcare workforce occupations and examines the factors that led to shortages in these fields. Describes how telemedicine can be used to extend the mental healthcare workforce in rural Pennsylvania and determines how state government entities can encourage more people to enter and remain in the mental healthcare workforce. Makes recommendations including increasing the number of psychiatric residencies in rural areas and designating more Rural Health Clinics. Includes a county-level map of Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Author(s): Grant Rosul, Stephen J. Kramer, Wendy L. Baker
Date: 06/2020
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Provides a discussion of mental healthcare workforce occupations and examines the factors that led to shortages in these fields. Describes how telemedicine can be used to extend the mental healthcare workforce in rural Pennsylvania and determines how state government entities can encourage more people to enter and remain in the mental healthcare workforce. Makes recommendations including increasing the number of psychiatric residencies in rural areas and designating more Rural Health Clinics. Includes a county-level map of Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Author(s): Grant Rosul, Stephen J. Kramer, Wendy L. Baker
Date: 06/2020
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Confronting Rural America's Health Care Crisis
Offers policy recommendations to stabilize the rural healthcare infrastructure and ensuring local access to care. Discusses strategies to provide financial relief to rural providers, preserve obstetric services, expand telehealth services, and address workforce shortages. Includes brief references to policy actions taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additional links: Rural Hospital Transformation Models, Summary, The Case for Expanding Telehealth Services, July 2020
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Offers policy recommendations to stabilize the rural healthcare infrastructure and ensuring local access to care. Discusses strategies to provide financial relief to rural providers, preserve obstetric services, expand telehealth services, and address workforce shortages. Includes brief references to policy actions taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additional links: Rural Hospital Transformation Models, Summary, The Case for Expanding Telehealth Services, July 2020
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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