Workforce
Current Projects
Aging of the Rural Generalist Physician Workforce: Will Some Locations Be More Affected than Others?
Research center:
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Physicians,
Workforce
This study will identify rural locations with high proportions of generalist physicians nearing retirement age.
Community College’s Contributions to the Education of Allied Health Professionals in Rural Areas of the U.S.
Research center:
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Allied health professionals,
Workforce
This study will identify rural-serving community colleges across the U.S. and their 5-year graduation trends for specific allied health professions, examine the spectrum of how rural allied health professions education currently is being allocated and delivered, and explore how community economic status and estimated regional allied health workforce demand is associated with the availability of rural community college allied health education programs.
Dentist Supply, Access to Dental Care, and Oral Health among Rural and Urban Residents: A National Study
Research center:
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Dental health,
Workforce
This study will determine whether shortages of dentists in rural areas of the U.S. are associated with impaired access to dental care and a higher prevalence of dental disease.
Factors Associated with Rural-Residing Registered Nurses’ Choices to Work in Urban Locations and Larger Rural Cities
Research center:
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Mid-level practitioners,
Nurses,
Workforce
While larger numbers of registered nurses (RNs) are living in rural areas, research from the WWAMI RHRC shows that since 1980, a growing percentage are commuting from rural residences to work within urban and larger rural cities. This study will explore factors that may be associated with RNs’ decisions to commute away from their rural areas of residence to work in less rural areas.
Future of Family Medicine and Implications for Primary Care Physician Supply
Research center:
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Physicians,
Workforce
This project describes recent trends in medical student interest and national match rates in primary care and family medicine, the effect of increasing proportions of female physicians on rural practice patterns, and implications of declining interest in primary care on health and the health workforce.
General and Specialist Surgeon Supply and Inpatient Procedural Content: A National Rural-Urban Study
Research center:
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topic:
Workforce
This study will examine the degree to which access to inpatient surgical care in rural areas is affected by the diminishing workforce of general surgeons. Using inpatient surgical procedure data, we will examine the availability and content of general surgical procedures in rural and urban hospitals nationally as a function of surgeon supply.
Nursing Workforce Impact on Rural Hospital Performance Improvement in the Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration Project
Research center:
Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics,
Quality,
Workforce
The purpose of this project is to examine the impact of nurse staffing on hospital performance improvement in the CMS/premier Inc. Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration project with specific interest in whether and how this relationship differs in rural hospitals as compared to urban hospitals.
Rural Family Medicine Residency Training Survey: Follow-up to 2000 Survey
Research center:
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Physicians,
Workforce
National survey of family medicine residency training programs to quantify the amount and location of rural training. The survey will also identify training that occurs in federally-qualified health centers.
Volunteerism in Rural EMS
Research center:
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Emergency medical services (EMS),
Health care financing,
Workforce
Semi-structured telephone interviews will be used to examine issues facing rural EMS services that have converted or are considering converting from volunteer services to paid services. Respondents will be queried regarding their conversion or consideration of conversion and the effect on their ability to recruit and retain personnel, their relationship with other agencies such as fire departments and hospitals, and the overall availability of EMS services.
WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) Rural Health Workforce Monograph: Guide for State Legislators Regarding Rural Workforce Information and Issues
Research center:
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Dental health,
Nurses,
Physicians,
Workforce
This project will compile and present state-level information about the rural health workforce in the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) region, including data on various health care disciplines. The resulting monograph will illustrate issues such as the shortage of different types of health care providers in various kinds of rural locations.
Related Topics
These related topics also list current projects:
