Many health workforce models project shortages in multiple specialties. Graduate medical education could be expanded or redistributed to help fill these shortages if training positions are allocated appropriately. This article presents an objective, evidence-based methodology that could be used to allocate thousands of new graduate medical education slots by state and specialty to address projected…
The rate at which physicians migrate from one state to another varies both between and within specialties. A better understanding of the migration patterns within specialties would help improve workforce projections. This article describes a comparison between physicians in the 2009 American Medical Association Masterfile data and those in the 2013 file to help estimate…
Many organizations have called for increased transparency and accountability for public funds invested in graduate medical education (GME) but federal efforts have stalled. In the absence of federal GME reform, states are increasingly exploring ways to leverage Medicaid funds to shape the size, specialty mix, and geographic distribution of their workforce. This policy brief investigates…
There is a distinct need for a flexible ambulatory care workforce that possesses core clinical and practice management competencies, but is also nimble in its ability to adapt to new innovations. This requires programs that can facilitate continuous learning of new skill sets needed to keep pace with emerging federal and state policies that are…
The Institute of Medicine has called for an increase in the diversity of the registered nurse (RN) workforce as well as an increase in the percentage of registered nurses who have a baccalaureate degree. A prior study has indicated that 33% of registered nurses who transitioned from licensed practical nurses (LPNs) between 2001 and 2013…
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs and degrees have increased substantially in recent years and there has been controversy surrounding whether more advanced practiced registered nurses should be prepared by DNP programs that are lengthier and more expensive than other masters degree programs. However, little research has been conducted that explores the role of DNP-prepared…
In conjunction with other legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is transforming medical care in the United States. The ACA is seeking to improve patient and population health outcomes while lowering costs. One mechanism is to incentivize the use of interprofessional health teams in primary and specialty care settings. These changes require reconfiguring and…
The number of actively practicing physicians and the number of physicians needed to meet demand in a particular specialty area depend on how physicians are counted (for example, area of training vs area of practice). The way physicians are counted has a major impact on our understanding of specialty shortages in particular areas and policy…
Congressional proposals to expand graduate medical education (GME) have set a goal of funding 3,000 new postgraduate year-1 (PGY1) slots for 5 years for a total of 15,000 new residency positions. Proposed legislation has suggested that the Workforce Commission, the Health Research and Services Administration (HRSA), and the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) provide input…
Stroke survivors who are given early contact with a physical and/or occupational therapist following their stroke improves their outcomes for recovery. The majority of stroke survivors are discharged home following an acute care admission. Understanding the care pathway from the acute to community setting and continuity of therapy across settings is extremely important to the…
