Rural Healthcare Workforce – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Healthcare Workforce.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Hospital and Outpatient Clinician Workforce: Challenges and Policy Responses
Describes hospital and outpatient clinician healthcare workforce shortages and maldistribution both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of the pandemic on the mental and physical health of the workforce. Provides an overview of federal interventions to support the healthcare workforce during the pandemic. Includes discussion on challenges specific to rural communities.
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Describes hospital and outpatient clinician healthcare workforce shortages and maldistribution both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of the pandemic on the mental and physical health of the workforce. Provides an overview of federal interventions to support the healthcare workforce during the pandemic. Includes discussion on challenges specific to rural communities.
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Medical Education Interventions Influencing Physician Distribution into Underserved Communities: A Scoping Review
Review of 130 articles, categorized by preferential admissions criteria, undergraduate or postgraduate training in rural or underserved areas, financial incentives, and initiatives composed of various combinations of these interventions. Intended to help map current evidence on educational interventions designed to influence physicians' decisions to practice in rural and underserved areas.
Author(s): Asiana Elma, Muhammadhasan Nasser, Laurie Yang, et al.
Citation: Human Resources for Health, 20(31)
Date: 04/2022
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Review of 130 articles, categorized by preferential admissions criteria, undergraduate or postgraduate training in rural or underserved areas, financial incentives, and initiatives composed of various combinations of these interventions. Intended to help map current evidence on educational interventions designed to influence physicians' decisions to practice in rural and underserved areas.
Author(s): Asiana Elma, Muhammadhasan Nasser, Laurie Yang, et al.
Citation: Human Resources for Health, 20(31)
Date: 04/2022
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Toward a Sustainable and Diversified Rural Health Workforce
Policy position paper focused on the rural health workforce. Provides an analysis of rural healthcare workforce data as well as federal and state policy levers related to the healthcare workforce. Offers policy recommendations and identifies areas for future analysis.
Author(s): Alison Coates, Whitney Zahnd, Courtney Burgin
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy position paper focused on the rural health workforce. Provides an analysis of rural healthcare workforce data as well as federal and state policy levers related to the healthcare workforce. Offers policy recommendations and identifies areas for future analysis.
Author(s): Alison Coates, Whitney Zahnd, Courtney Burgin
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Recruiting, Revitalizing & Diversifying: Examining the Health Care Workforce Shortage
Recording of February 10, 2022 testimony before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, offering recommendations for strategies to alleviate anticipated shortages in the healthcare workforce, including in rural areas. Features testimonies by representatives of the National Nurse Practitioner Residency and Fellowship Training Consortium, Xavier University of Louisiana, the National Institute for Medical Assistant Advancement, and the Heritage Foundation.
Additional links: C. Reynold Verret Testimony, Margaret Flinter Testimony, Norma Quinones Testimony, Rachel Greszler Testimony
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Recording of February 10, 2022 testimony before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, offering recommendations for strategies to alleviate anticipated shortages in the healthcare workforce, including in rural areas. Features testimonies by representatives of the National Nurse Practitioner Residency and Fellowship Training Consortium, Xavier University of Louisiana, the National Institute for Medical Assistant Advancement, and the Heritage Foundation.
Additional links: C. Reynold Verret Testimony, Margaret Flinter Testimony, Norma Quinones Testimony, Rachel Greszler Testimony
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being
Explores the potential to drive policy and systems change to better support the health workforce and the health of all communities. Includes sections on creating and sustaining positive work environments, investing in strategies and research, supporting mental health and reducing stigma, addressing policy barriers, using technology tools, and recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Explores the potential to drive policy and systems change to better support the health workforce and the health of all communities. Includes sections on creating and sustaining positive work environments, investing in strategies and research, supporting mental health and reducing stigma, addressing policy barriers, using technology tools, and recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Improving Behavioral Health Services for Individuals with SMI in Rural and Remote Communities
Discusses behavioral health workforce shortages in rural and remote areas and the effect this has on healthcare access for people with serious mental illness (SMI). Highlights strategies for reducing barriers to access and improve workforce retention. Provides examples of programs to improve access in various states.
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organizations: American Psychiatric Association, SMI Adviser, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Discusses behavioral health workforce shortages in rural and remote areas and the effect this has on healthcare access for people with serious mental illness (SMI). Highlights strategies for reducing barriers to access and improve workforce retention. Provides examples of programs to improve access in various states.
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organizations: American Psychiatric Association, SMI Adviser, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Area Designations Before and After the Affordable Care Act's Shortage Designation Modernization Project
Results of a study using Health Resources and Services Administration files and county-level Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Area (PC-HPSA) designations, population, and primary care physician (PCP) counts from 2010 to 2018, to determine HPSA trends and population-to-PCP ratios. Features county-level maps showing geographic distribution of PC-HPSA designations in 2010 and 2018, and statistics on temporal changes in PC-HPSA designations and population-to-PCP ratios.
Author(s): Christopher A. Scannell, Jacob Q. Quinton, Nicholas J. Jackson, Yusuke Tsugawa
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(7)
Date: 07/2021
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Results of a study using Health Resources and Services Administration files and county-level Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Area (PC-HPSA) designations, population, and primary care physician (PCP) counts from 2010 to 2018, to determine HPSA trends and population-to-PCP ratios. Features county-level maps showing geographic distribution of PC-HPSA designations in 2010 and 2018, and statistics on temporal changes in PC-HPSA designations and population-to-PCP ratios.
Author(s): Christopher A. Scannell, Jacob Q. Quinton, Nicholas J. Jackson, Yusuke Tsugawa
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(7)
Date: 07/2021
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A Dire Shortage and Getting Worse: Solving the Crisis in the Health Care Workforce
Video of a May 20, 2021 U.S. Senate hearing with testimony from representatives of the Association of American Medical Colleges, the National Medical Association, Albany (Georgia) Area Primary Health Care, and the University of New England. Examines lack of access to high-quality care in rural and underserved areas, and the importance of training students likely to practice in rural areas.
Additional links: David J. Skorton Statement, James D. Herbert Statement, Leon McDougle Statement, Shelley Spires Statement
Author(s): David J. Skorton, Leon McDougle, Shelley Spires, James D. Herbert
Date: 05/2021
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Video of a May 20, 2021 U.S. Senate hearing with testimony from representatives of the Association of American Medical Colleges, the National Medical Association, Albany (Georgia) Area Primary Health Care, and the University of New England. Examines lack of access to high-quality care in rural and underserved areas, and the importance of training students likely to practice in rural areas.
Additional links: David J. Skorton Statement, James D. Herbert Statement, Leon McDougle Statement, Shelley Spires Statement
Author(s): David J. Skorton, Leon McDougle, Shelley Spires, James D. Herbert
Date: 05/2021
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Evaluation of the 2020 Pediatric Emergency Physician Workforce in the US
Results of a study of 2,403 self-identified pediatric emergency physicians (EPs), examining their characteristics and their practice locations. Features a county-level map showing pediatric EP density per 100,000 population, and statistics with breakdowns by age, sex, U.S. census division, training specialty area, board certification, and urban, large rural, or small rural location.
Author(s): Christopher L. Bennett, Janice A. Espinola, Ashley F. Sullivan, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(5)
Date: 05/2021
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Results of a study of 2,403 self-identified pediatric emergency physicians (EPs), examining their characteristics and their practice locations. Features a county-level map showing pediatric EP density per 100,000 population, and statistics with breakdowns by age, sex, U.S. census division, training specialty area, board certification, and urban, large rural, or small rural location.
Author(s): Christopher L. Bennett, Janice A. Espinola, Ashley F. Sullivan, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(5)
Date: 05/2021
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Projections of Supply and Demand for Women's Health Service Providers: 2018-2030
Presents projections of supply and demand for obstetricians/gynecologists, certified nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, and discusses the contribution of family medicine physicians in the delivery of women's health services. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan location.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Bureau of Health Workforce, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
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Presents projections of supply and demand for obstetricians/gynecologists, certified nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, and discusses the contribution of family medicine physicians in the delivery of women's health services. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan location.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Bureau of Health Workforce, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
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Last Updated: 9/26/2025