Rural Healthcare Workforce – Resources

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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Special Needs in Rural America: Implications for Healthcare Workforce Education, Training, and Practice
Offers policy recommendations to strengthen rural health workforce training and improve access to healthcare in rural areas. Addresses the health and social needs of rural America through evidence-based health workforce investments in education, training, and practice. Examines disparities in health and access to care in rural areas, and mismatch in supply and demand.
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Council on Graduate Medical Education
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Supply and Distribution of the Primary Care Workforce in Rural America: 2019
Details the supply of primary care providers in rural and urban areas in the U.S. Compares rates of physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants per 100,000 people by county across the country. Features a state-level analysis.
Additional links: State-level Analysis
Author(s): Eric H. Larson, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Lisa A. Garberson, et al.
Date: 06/2020
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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The Supply and Rural-Urban Distribution of the Obstetrical Care Workforce in the U.S
Highlights the supply of obstetrical care workers in rural and urban areas in the U.S. Compares rates of midwives, advanced practice midwives, obstetricians, and family practice physicians who deliver babies per 100,000 women of childbearing age in rural counties. Features a state-by state analysis and state-level profiles.
Additional links: State-level Reports
Author(s): Davis Patterson, Holly Andrilla, Lisa Garberson
Date: 06/2020
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Health Care Professional Workforce Composition Before and After Rural Hospital Closure
Policy brief examining the change in numbers of local healthcare providers before and after rural hospital closures from 2010-2018, to examine associations with eliminating inpatient services in rural areas. Features statistics with breakdowns by advanced practice providers, primary care providers, and specialists.
Author(s): Erin Mobley, Fred Ullrich, Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, Mina Shrestha, Keith Mueller
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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The Respiratory Therapist Workforce in the U.S.: Supply, Distribution, Education Pathways, and State Responses to Emergency Surges in Demand
An overview of the respiratory therapist workforce across the U.S. including their practice scope and settings, supply and distribution, education and credentialing, and work force capacity with an additional focus on the emergency related concerns of COVID-19.
Author(s): Susan M Skillman, Bianca K Frogner, Arati Dahal, Benjamin A Stubbs, Grace Guenther
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
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The Behavioral Health Workforce in Rural America: Developing a National Recruitment Strategy
Describes successful strategies to recruit and retain behavioral health workers in rural areas, based on phone interviews with state-level experts in rural health and behavioral health. Explores financial incentives, education and training programs, telehealth, licensure or scope of practice changes, innovative state approaches, and policy considerations.
Author(s): Nancy Baum, Jaque King
Date: 02/2020
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health and Research Transformation
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Healthcare Professionals' Mental Health Needs: Where Can They Go?
Provides an overview of the mental health needs of healthcare providers and the barriers to accessing care. Features the work of physician health programs, professional societies, state licensure boards, and other groups to help ensure providers' mental health needs are addressed. Discusses the impact of provider wellness on patient safety and healthcare quality.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Support for Rural Practice: Female Physicians and the Life-Career Interface
Reports on the results of a survey of 20 female physicians from the same rural focused family medicine residency, over a 3-month period, to identify emerging themes regarding their experience practicing in rural areas of northwestern United States.
Author(s): Kimberly Stutzman, Ruth Ray Karpen, Pragna Naidoo, et al.
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 20(1), 5341
Date: 01/2020
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Burnout: Measurement Tool(s), Cause(s) and Impact(s)
Reports on what is known about burnout among rural healthcare providers, highlighting several research studies. Discusses the impact of burnout on turnover, productivity, healthcare quality, and safety.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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