Chronic pain is widespread among US adults, and overreliance on pharmacological approaches to managing this pain has contributed to the nation’s opioid addiction crisis. There is growing recognition of the importance of directing patients towards non-pharmacological approaches to manage pain. This report compares 10 different health care occupations and certified practitioners in providing non-pharmacological pain…
Only about a quarter of physician assistants (PAs) practice in primary care and more are needed to enter primary care. In comparison, findings from this study found that nearly half of matriculating students entered with the intent to practice in primary care based on data from the 2013-2014 Physician Assistant Education Association Matriculating Student Survey…
Medical assistants (MAs) are key members of the health care team and are assuming new and expanded roles amid health care delivery transformation. Some health care employers are turning to apprenticeships to meet their MA workforce needs. This report describes MA apprenticeships through literature review and analysis of interviews with key personnel involved with programs…
On October 2, 2018, policy leaders and workforce researchers gathered to discuss key issues influencing the health workforce. Researchers from 6 health workforce research centers presented work related to value-based care, workforce development programs targeting the underserved, and health workforce roles in opioid misuse prevention and treatment. This video highlights the work presented at the…
Few studies have examined practice redesign to understand how staffing changed with the adoption of patient-centered medical homes (PCMH), and whether these staffing changes impacted utilization. This article examines the workforce transformation occurring in community health centers that have achieved PCMH status and assesses the relationship of those changes to utilization, as measured by the…
Systematically quantifying and tracking the evolution of the health workforce is a challenge, yet it is important for identifying emerging demands for different skills and competencies. Real Time Labor Market Information (RT-LMI), a source of data that is increasingly used to monitor workforce demand, extracts information from online job ads to track demand for general…
Entry‐level healthcare occupations are among the fastest growing occupations in the USA. Public perception is that the healthcare industry provides an opportunity for upward career mobility given the low education requirements to enter many healthcare occupations. The assumption that entry‐level healthcare occupations, such as nursing assistant, lead to higher‐skilled occupations, such as Registered Nurse, is…
Promoting racial and ethnic diversity in the health workforce can help meet the healthcare needs of underserved and racially diverse populations. Programs aimed at increasing representation in the workforce and increasing interest in health education for certain populations may be effective solutions. This article explores the changes in racial and ethnic diversity of the health…
Part 2 of a 2-part series based on a symposium of health workforce research centers that was previously held in Washington DC in May 2016. This webinar includes three prerecorded 10-minute presentations regarding three separate studies on health care job growth, training, and career pathways. Following these presentations, attendees ask questions regarding the studies, such…
This study examined the value of Real-Time Labor Market Information (RT-LMI) for identifying how frequently, and for which occupations, skills related to health information technology (HIT) are specifically demanded by healthcare employers. This report helps to understand the value and limitations of RT-LMI for monitoring health workforce demand, including allied health professions.
