Rural Healthcare Workforce – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Healthcare Workforce.
Health Care Workforce: Key Issues, Challenges, and the Path Forward
Provides an overview of the supply and distribution of physicians, nurses, direct care workers, behavioral health workers, and oral healthcare providers. Describes persistent challenges related to the healthcare workforce, including supply and distribution of healthcare workers, especially in rural communities; racial and ethnic diversity; burnout; compensation; and administrative burden. Identifies opportunities to address these challenges and efforts supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to address these issues.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Provides an overview of the supply and distribution of physicians, nurses, direct care workers, behavioral health workers, and oral healthcare providers. Describes persistent challenges related to the healthcare workforce, including supply and distribution of healthcare workers, especially in rural communities; racial and ethnic diversity; burnout; compensation; and administrative burden. Identifies opportunities to address these challenges and efforts supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to address these issues.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Training Satisfaction and Future Employment Consideration Among Physician and Nursing Trainees at Rural Veterans Affairs Facilities in the United States During COVID-19: A Time-Series Before and After Study
Presents a study on the perceptions of trainee clinicians in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on the satisfaction they feel towards their training and future employment in rural and urban facilities and compares their answers before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Bases finding on a survey of physicians and nurses in rural and urban areas receiving training in a VA facility and compares responses from August, 2018 to July, 2021.
Author(s): Heather Northcraft, Tiffany Radcliff, Anne Reid Griffin, et al.
Citation: Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions, 21, 25
Date: 09/2024
view details
Presents a study on the perceptions of trainee clinicians in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on the satisfaction they feel towards their training and future employment in rural and urban facilities and compares their answers before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Bases finding on a survey of physicians and nurses in rural and urban areas receiving training in a VA facility and compares responses from August, 2018 to July, 2021.
Author(s): Heather Northcraft, Tiffany Radcliff, Anne Reid Griffin, et al.
Citation: Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions, 21, 25
Date: 09/2024
view details
Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary, Community-Based Linkages (ACICBL) Meeting Minutes, September 6, 2024
Summarizes the Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary, Community-Based Linkages (ACICBL) meeting held on September 6, 2024. Includes updates from the Bureau of Health Workforce and anticipated notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs). Features a presentation on Behavioral Health Education, Retention, and Expansion Network of Nevada (BeHERENV), a workforce development initiative to increase the number of behavioral health care providers in Nevada.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary Community-Based Linkages
view details
Summarizes the Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary, Community-Based Linkages (ACICBL) meeting held on September 6, 2024. Includes updates from the Bureau of Health Workforce and anticipated notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs). Features a presentation on Behavioral Health Education, Retention, and Expansion Network of Nevada (BeHERENV), a workforce development initiative to increase the number of behavioral health care providers in Nevada.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary Community-Based Linkages
view details
Training a Rural Oral Health Workforce: Effects of Rural Background on Dentist Practice Choice
Assesses outcomes from 2012-2021 of the Regional Initiatives in Dental Education (RIDE) program, an educational track of the University of Washington School of Dentistry that aims to produce graduates who practice in rural areas of the Pacific Northwest. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by rural or nonrural upbringing.
Author(s): Anna R. Forsyth, Arsen A. Melkonyan, Kristopher Kerns, et al.
Citation: Journal of Dental Education, 1-9
Date: 09/2024
view details
Assesses outcomes from 2012-2021 of the Regional Initiatives in Dental Education (RIDE) program, an educational track of the University of Washington School of Dentistry that aims to produce graduates who practice in rural areas of the Pacific Northwest. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by rural or nonrural upbringing.
Author(s): Anna R. Forsyth, Arsen A. Melkonyan, Kristopher Kerns, et al.
Citation: Journal of Dental Education, 1-9
Date: 09/2024
view details
Workforce Toolkit to Support Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Providers
Toolkit intended to help Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural providers improve workforce recruitment and retention efforts. Provides information on healthcare workforce challenges faced by CAHs. Offers examples of external resources that CAHs may utilize to address their workforce needs across four topics: organizational culture and leadership, leveraging partnerships, emergency medical services workforce, and administrative and support staff workforce.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Toolkit intended to help Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural providers improve workforce recruitment and retention efforts. Provides information on healthcare workforce challenges faced by CAHs. Offers examples of external resources that CAHs may utilize to address their workforce needs across four topics: organizational culture and leadership, leveraging partnerships, emergency medical services workforce, and administrative and support staff workforce.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Embracing the Inevitable: Succession Planning for Rural Healthcare Organizations
Explains the importance of succession planning for rural boards and CEOs. Shares a range of approaches, including written policies and mentorship, as well as offering insights from rural health leaders and resources to help begin the process of succession planning.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Explains the importance of succession planning for rural boards and CEOs. Shares a range of approaches, including written policies and mentorship, as well as offering insights from rural health leaders and resources to help begin the process of succession planning.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Predictors of a Positive Attitude Towards Rural Practice in Female Osteopathic Medical Students
Results of a study exploring whether rural background, a plan to practice family medicine, and inclination toward civic duty are associated with positive attitudes toward practice of rural medicine among female osteopathic medical students. Uses data from a survey of 97 students at Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Author(s): Dana E. Kahl, Kevin M. Roessger
Citation: Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 124(12), 521-527
Date: 08/2024
view details
Results of a study exploring whether rural background, a plan to practice family medicine, and inclination toward civic duty are associated with positive attitudes toward practice of rural medicine among female osteopathic medical students. Uses data from a survey of 97 students at Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Author(s): Dana E. Kahl, Kevin M. Roessger
Citation: Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 124(12), 521-527
Date: 08/2024
view details
Advancing Cancer Workforce Capacity for American Indians and Alaska Natives: The Development of a Validated System to Optimize Trainee Participation and Outcome Tracking
Outlines considerations and strategies for development and implementation of a tracking system to support federally funded workforce diversity programs with limited resources to document, track, and disseminate program outcomes for underrepresented trainees. Provides data on degree completion and professional positions of American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) trainees over a 20-year period.
Author(s): Kelly A. Laurila, Laurie D. Rogers, Celina I. Valencia, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(6), 752
Date: 06/2024
view details
Outlines considerations and strategies for development and implementation of a tracking system to support federally funded workforce diversity programs with limited resources to document, track, and disseminate program outcomes for underrepresented trainees. Provides data on degree completion and professional positions of American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) trainees over a 20-year period.
Author(s): Kelly A. Laurila, Laurie D. Rogers, Celina I. Valencia, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(6), 752
Date: 06/2024
view details
Building a Sustainable Rural Health Workforce for the 21st Century: A Report of the 2024 Rural Health Workforce Summit
Summarizes a May 2024 summit of national rural health workforce experts to discuss strategies for increasing the supply of rural health workforce. Presents 3 principles related to rural community culture, innovation, and payment structure to inform 4 core strategies for building and maintaining the workforce. Strategies cover workforce roles, partnerships and networking, technology to improve access to care, and educational pathways.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
view details
Summarizes a May 2024 summit of national rural health workforce experts to discuss strategies for increasing the supply of rural health workforce. Presents 3 principles related to rural community culture, innovation, and payment structure to inform 4 core strategies for building and maintaining the workforce. Strategies cover workforce roles, partnerships and networking, technology to improve access to care, and educational pathways.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
view details
Check with the Intended Audience First! Content Validation as a Method for Inclusive Research for Primary Care Engagement in Rural Appalachia
Results of a study intended to develop and content validate a survey to assess engagement and burnout, referral practices, and self-efficacy and confidence in making referrals based on social determinants of health among primary care providers and clinic staff in Appalachian North Carolina. Uses data from 10 participants, collected between August and November 2022.
Author(s): Sydeena E. Isaacs, Jennifer Schroeder Tyson, Ashley Parks, Danielle Adams
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(1):69–89
Date: 04/2024
view details
Results of a study intended to develop and content validate a survey to assess engagement and burnout, referral practices, and self-efficacy and confidence in making referrals based on social determinants of health among primary care providers and clinic staff in Appalachian North Carolina. Uses data from 10 participants, collected between August and November 2022.
Author(s): Sydeena E. Isaacs, Jennifer Schroeder Tyson, Ashley Parks, Danielle Adams
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(1):69–89
Date: 04/2024
view details
Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
Last Updated: 7/23/2025