There are large variations in the level of agreement among areas that are identified as “rural” under various rurality definitions. Rural-urban disparities are sensitive to the specific definition and which population characteristic that is being considered. This article explores 8 federal rural definitions and the degree to which they identify the same areas as rural….
The COVID-19 pandemic has had harsh impacts on low-income and racial and ethnic minority communities, as well as the clinicians who provide care to these communities. This article examines the results of a survey of safety-net health care practitioners (including physical, dental, and behavioral health providers) participating in the National Health Service Corps in 20…
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, so does the levels of stress, burden, and burnout of health care workers. Researchers at the Carolina Health Workforce Research Center conducted a scoping review of published literature on burnout interventions implemented for healthcare workers during COVID-19, as well as expert interviews with healthcare administrators involved in COVID-19 burnout response…
Health providers often attempt to capture social determinants of health (SDOH) in electronic health records (EHR) and use these data to adjust care plans. Standardizing SDOH documentation in the EHR between members of the health workforce may help ensure that patients’ social risk factors, including food and housing insecurity, are addressed. This article assesses how…
Newly graduated nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) face challenges in adapting to their first jobs. Because of this, some organizations are instituting formal NP and PA onboarding programs, which have been associated with increased engagement of NPs/PAs, decreased turnover, and higher clinical productivity. This policy brief examines which components of NP and PA…
Positive transition to practice experiences for nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) are important for reducing turnover and maintaining continuity of care for patients. Onboarding programs are an important element of transition to practice experiences, but little is known about what specifically makes certain onboarding programs successful and why. This brief describes a study…
Low wage workers such as janitors and food service workers are essential for ensuring that hospital settings are able to function. These workers experience similar pandemic-related stressors as physicians and nurses, but their experiences and needs are less likely to be visible. This article describes a study that conducted interviews with low wage workers to…
News photos and stories of health professionals in intensive care units overflowing with ill patients have been among the most iconic images of the COVID-19 pandemic. These clinicians have shown physical and emotional exhaustion, and also claim to be morally distressed by witnessing and participating in patients’ care and deaths in sheer numbers under circumstances…
Medication is increasingly used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) in primary care. It incorporates medication (ie, buprenorphine) with behavioral therapy and/or psychosocial services. Targeted planning for co-location of DEA-waivered buprenorphine prescribers and behavioral health (BH) clinicians could increase the use of MOUD. Presently, less than half of all waivered prescribers, outside of hospitals, are…
Despite evidence supporting the integration of pharmacists in team-based primary care, little evidence exists on the colocation of pharmacists with primary care physicians (PCPs) in the United States and even less information exists on the factors associated with these models in primary care. Increasing the colocation of pharmacists and PCPs gives practitioners greater ability to…
