Rural Healthcare Workforce – Resources

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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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A Lack of Behavioral Health Providers in Medicare and Medicaid Impedes Enrollees' Access to Care
Examines the availability of behavioral health providers who actively serve Medicare or Medicaid enrollees in 20 counties, 10 urban and 10 rural, across 10 states in 2021. Explores the extent to which traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid enrollees received behavioral health services and whether they used telehealth or in-person services. Offers recommendations to encourage more behavioral health providers to serve these enrollees and expand coverage to additional behavioral health provider types. Includes rural and urban comparisons throughout.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections From 2021 to 2036
Projects future supply of active physicians by examining trends in key determinants and the sensitivity of supply projections to changes in determinants. Features statistics including projected demand for primary care or non-primary care specialties by urban or rural location, with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density.
Author(s): Tim Dall, Ryan Reynolds, Ritashree Chakrabarti, et al.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Association of American Medical Colleges
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Nursing Home Workforce Issues and Inequities
Offers an overview of issues related to the direct care workforce in nursing homes including staffing shortages, recruitment and retention, low wages, job training, interdisciplinary care, and more. Discusses proposed policies offering workforce-related reforms. Discusses rural throughout.
Author(s): Jasmine L. Travers, Rita Choula, Edem Hado
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Physician and Advanced Practice Clinician Burnout in Rural and Urban Settings
Describes burnout and contributing work conditions among physicians and advanced practice clinicians, using data from an anonymous electronic survey conducted in March 2022. Explores the effect of COVID-19 on health workforce burnout, and features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Melissa L. Harry, Nancy L. Sudak, Mary J. Engels, et al.
Citation: The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 37(1), 43-58
Date: 01/2024
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Expanding Behavioral Health Care Workforce Participation in Medicare, Medicaid, and Marketplace Plans
Report highlights barriers to obtaining behavioral health treatment on Medicare, Medicaid, and Marketplace plans. Discusses barriers specific to rural and tribal communities. Details behavioral workforce needs and makes policy recommendations.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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