Distance learning in social work has proliferated in recent years. It is increasingly promoted as a strategy for diversifying the social work workforce and expanding access to graduate education for individuals in rural and under-served communities. Findings indicate that online and blended education is associated with practice in rural and underserved areas. This article examines…
The Mullan Institute estimates that between now and March 20, 2021, 7% of counties in the USwill experience hospital workforce staffing strains due to COVID-19 hospitalizations. Using new county-level projections of COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU occupancy provided, it is estimated that 209 counties will need to implement crisis workforce strategies. This involves tiered staffing strategies…
Since health professionals began administering 2 FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines in December 2020, the rollout has encountered several challenges and failed to meet initial targets for total vaccinations provided. The current health workforce has been identified as one possible bottleneck for distributing the vaccine, prompting a general call to authorize as many health care professionals to…
In response to the drastically increased demand for health services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many states adjusted their regulations to expand access to services and assist in the expansion of health workforce capacity. More research needs to be done to understand what kinds of policy changes were made and how they impacted the health…
The teaching health center (THC) programs allows community health centers (CHCs) to be engaged in residency programs as a way to address primary care shortages in underserved areas. However, little is known about the impact of these programs on CHCs. This article describes a study that compared the data of THC and non-THC health centers…
Medical students played an essential role in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the pandemic disproportionately impacted the most vulnerable populations and exacerbated inequality. Medical students should be trained to respond to public health emergencies in ways that promote health equity, but what this training should entail has yet to be…
Primary care providers are less likely to accept Medicaid compared to other kinds of insurance. The medical school a primary care provider chooses to attend has been shown to impact other elements of their practice, but the impact on Medicaid participation is not well understood. This abstract describes a study that analyzed 2016 Medicaid claims…
Medical school pathway programs have been important for helping to diversify student bodies and by extension the future health workforce. Many of these pathway programs were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the extent of these disruptions are not well understood. This abstract describes a study that utilized an online survey and interviews with medical…
Many states have adjusted their payment regulations to support increases in the usage of telehealth during the pandemic in order to make sure that patients have access to remote care. Prior research has suggested that reimbursement parity requirements are associated with higher levels of telehealth adoption, but more research is needed to verify how such…
Health disparities have worsened over the last 20 years in the United States, and research has exposed the role of health care systems in contributing to these disparities. Based on race/ethnicity, sex, sexual identity, socioeconomic status, and geography, communities face disproportionately higher disparities in access, diagnosis, and treatment, ultimately resulting in adverse health outcomes. This…
