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Rural Health Information Hub

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

Recruiting Rural Healthcare Providers Today: A Systematic Review of Training Program Success and Determinants of Geographic Choices
Analyzes the body of evidence assessing healthcare providers' geographic choices for practice and the success of training programs aimed at increasing rural provider recruitment.
Author(s): Ian T. MacQueen, Melinda Maggard-Gibbons, Gina Capra, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 33, 191-199
Date: 02/2018
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Workforce Outcomes of North Carolina Medical School Graduates: A Report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee
Describes the identity, location, and number of positions for medical school in North Carolina, identifies the numbers of graduates of medical education in various specialty areas, and tracks outcomes of graduates in primary care, obstetrics and gynecology, and psychiatry 5 years after completing training. Features state-level data through 2016, and includes statistics on percent of graduates in training or practice in rural areas 2008-2011.
Author(s): Julie C. Spero, Erin P. Fraher
Date: 01/2018
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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The Workforce Outcomes of Physicians Completing Residency Programs in North Carolina
Describes the identity, location, and number of graduate medical education (GME) training programs in North Carolina, identifies the numbers of GME program graduates in various medical specialty areas, and tracks outcomes of graduates 5 years after completing training. Includes statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural areas of North Carolina.
Author(s): Erin P. Fraher, Julie C. Spero, Evan Galloway, Jim Terry
Date: 01/2018
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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Oregon Office of Rural Health Brochure
Identifies the mission and the activities of the Oregon State Office of Rural Health (SORH). Addresses workforce services supporting rural recruitment and retention, data analysis and technical assistance to strengthen rural healthcare systems, and policy development and advocacy efforts benefiting rural health.
Date: 2018
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
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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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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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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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Newly Licensed RN Retention: Hospital and Nurse Characteristics
Study of retention rates for newly licensed RNs (NLRNs) within 1 year of hire in Illinois, North Carolina, and Ohio. Analyzes retention data based on hospital characteristics including rural and urban location, hospital size, type of ownership, Magnet status, and university affiliation. Discusses implications of characteristics data and NLRN retention trends.
Author(s): Mary A. Blegen, Nancy Spector, Mary R. Lynn, Jane Barnsteiner, Beth T. Ulrich
Citation: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 47(10), 508-514
Date: 10/2017
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Veterans Health Administration: Better Data and Evaluation Could Help Improve Physician Staffing, Recruitment, and Retention Strategies
Reviews the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) recruitment and retention strategies, specifically for VHA physicians working in the five areas identified as mission-critical: primary care, mental health, gastroenterology, orthopedic surgery, and emergency medicine. Presents information on how many VHA physicians provide care, the extent VHA measures physician workload and productivity, and how current recruitment and retention strategies are evaluated. Addresses rural shortages and makes recommendations for improving VHA workforce development and planning based on interviews with VHA officials and a review of VHA documentation.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Minnesota: Filling the Mental Health Pipeline
Discusses the mental health workforce in Minnesota including the educational pipeline, the licensed and unlicensed workforce, regional issues related to recruitment, and policy implications. Includes data about degrees completed, licenses gained after graduation, and population-to-provider ratios of the mental health workforce in Minnesota by rural or isolated, small town or small rural, micropolitan or large rural, and metropolitan.
Author(s): Alessia Leibert, Teri Fritsma
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
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