Recruitment and retention of rural allied health professionals: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to understand what literature exists to comprehend demographics and predicted trends of rural allied health professionals (AHPs), person factors of rural AHPs, and recruitment and retention of rural AHPs. METHODS: A scoping review was completed and reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. Articles were analyzed using three a priori categories of recruitment and retention, person factors, and demographics and trends. RESULTS: Eighty articles met inclusion criteria for the review. Most of the literature came from Australia. Most research studies were qualitative or descriptive. A priori coding of the articles revealed overlap of the a priori codes across articles; however, the majority of articles related to recruitment and retention followed by demographics and trends and person factors. Recruitment and retention articles focused on strategies prior to education, during education, and recruitment and retention, with the highest number of articles focused on retention. Overall, there were no specific best strategies. Demographic data most commonly gathered were age, practice location, profession, sex, gender, previous rural placement and number of years in practice. While person factors were not as commonly written about, psychosocial factors of rural AHPs were most commonly discussed, including desire to care for others, appreciation of feeling needed, connectedness to team and community and enjoyment of the rural lifestyle. CONCLUSION: The evidence available provides an understanding of what research exists to understand recruitment and retention of AHPs from a recruitment and retention approach, person factor approach, and demographics and trends approach. Based on this scoping review, there is not a clear road map for predicting or maintaining AHPs in a rural workforce. Further research is needed to support increased recruitment and retention of AHPs in rural areas.

Pre-Pandemic Landscape of the Oklahoma Public Health Workforce: A Case Study From the Region 6 Training Needs Assessment Survey, 2019.

CONTEXT: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for a well-trained public health workforce prior to the public health crisis. Public health training centers regularly assess workforce needs and their pre-pandemic data play vital roles in guiding public health workforce development beyond the crisis. PROGRAM: In 2019, Oklahoma partners of the Region 6 South Central Public Health Training Center (R6SCPHTC) co-conducted an online survey of the public health workforce located in the Health Resources & Services Administration Region 6. IMPLEMENTATION: Between March and April, the R6SCPHTC collected 503 surveys, including 201 surveys from Oklahoma. Questions inquired about demographic and workforce characteristics, work contexts, training needs and interests, training access and logistics, and knowledge of R6SCPHTC online resources. EVALUATION: Key findings included that two-thirds of the pre-pandemic Oklahoma public health workforce consisted of employees age 40 or older with few holding public health or medical degrees. The majority of respondents worked for health departments and Tribes, and almost half were frontline workers. Although at least half of the participants interested in training on public health activities and topics were familiar with them, confidence in their abilities related to these activities and topics was expressed by less than half. Qualitative data provided details on training needs addressed quantitatively and described new training areas. Survey participants expressed interest in diverse training delivery methods and technological devices. Most respondents were not familiar with the free trainings available through the R6SCPHTC. DISCUSSION: Similar to the regional and national public health workforce, Oklahoma's workforce needed training and support already before COVID-19. Time and resources need to be invested into the current and future workforce. While addressing priority public health skills and topics remains important, training on current and emerging topics is needed. Providing accessible trainings with expanded content will prepare Oklahoma's public health workforce for the future.

The supply and demand for rehabilitation health workforce in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Adequate supply of rehabilitation health workforce is a prerequisite for enhancing access to rehabilitation care. However, there is a lack of comprehensive data regarding the supply of rehabilitation health workers in Saudi Arabia. Aims: To determine the need for, and supply of, rehabilitation workforce, and investigate the relationship between rehabilitation workforce supply and rehabilitation needs in Saudi Arabia. Methodology: This cross-sectional study measured the ratio of physiotherapists and occupational therapists per 10 000 population. Data were obtained from the Ministry of Health, family health survey and census data of the General Authority for Statistics and published literature. To assess the need for rehabilitation services, we computed a composite disability index based on 3 variables: count of individuals with physical disabilities, those with chronic diseases, and those aged > 65 years. Determinants of the supply potential were population size, rural population percentage, and physician supply. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and simple linear regression. Results: The ratios of physiotherapists and occupational therapists working at the Ministry of Health facilities were 0.69 and 0.03 per 10 000 population, respectively. Overall rehabilitation health workforce ratio was 0.73 per 10 000. Supply varied across regions, from 0.4 for Riyadh to 2.5 for Al Jouf. Nine regions exceeded the overall ratio. Rehabilitation need index ranged from 0.144 in Najran to 0.212 in Aseer. No significant associations were found between rehabilitation workforce supply on one hand, and need and other potential determinants on the other hand. Conclusion: The rehabilitation workforce supply in Saudi Arabia surpassed the regional and global averages, but was lower than the average for high-income countries. Workforce distribution varied by region across the country and was not related to need. It is important to consider the need for rehabilitation services and context-specific factors when determining the optimal size and distribution of the rehabilitation health workforce in Saudi Arabia.

A Geospatial Analysis of the Availability, Distribution, and Accessibility of Neurosurgical Facilities, Workforce, and Infrastructure in Nigeria; and Projection Towards 2050.

OBJECTIVE: There has been a modest but progressive increase in the neurosurgical workforce, training, and service delivery in Nigeria in the last 2 decades. However, these resources are unevenly distributed. This study aimed to quantitatively assess the availability and distribution of neurosurgical resources in Nigeria while projecting the needed workforce capacity up to 2050. METHODS: An online survey of Nigerian neurosurgeons and residents assessed the country's neurosurgical infrastructure, workforce, and resources. The results were analyzed descriptively, and geospatial analysis was used to map their distribution. A projection model was fitted to predict workforce targets for 2022-2050. RESULTS: Out of 86 neurosurgery-capable health facilities, 65.1% were public hospitals, with only 17.4% accredited for residency training. Dedicated hospital beds and operating rooms for neurosurgery make up only 4.0% and 15.4% of the total, respectively. The population disease burden is estimated at 50.2 per 100,000, while the operative coverage was 153.2 cases per neurosurgeon. There are currently 132 neurosurgeons and 114 neurosurgery residents for a population of 218 million (ratio 1:1.65 million). There is an annual growth rate of 8.3%, resulting in a projected deficit of 1113 neurosurgeons by 2030 and 1104 by 2050. Timely access to neurosurgical care ranges from 21.6% to 86.7% of the population within different timeframes. CONCLUSIONS: Collaborative interventions are needed to address gaps in Nigeria's neurosurgical capacity. Investments in training, infrastructure, and funding are necessary for sustainable development and optimized outcomes.

Dermatology workforce projections in the United States, 2021 to 2036.

BACKGROUND: There has been a growing imbalance between supply of dermatologists and demand for dermatologic care. To best address physician shortages, it is important to delineate supply and demand patterns in the dermatologic workforce. The goal of this study was to explore dermatology supply and demand over time. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of workforce supply and demand projections for dermatologists from 2021 to 2036 using data from the Health Workforce Simulation Model from the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. Estimates for total workforce supply and demand were summarized in aggregate and stratified by rurality. Scenarios with status quo demand and improved access were considered. RESULTS: Projected total supply showed a 12.45% increase by 2036. Total demand increased 12.70% by 2036 in the status quo scenario. In the improved access scenario, total supply was inadequate for total demand in any year, lagging by 28% in 2036. Metropolitan areas demonstrated a relative supply surplus up to 2036; nonmetropolitan areas had at least a 157% excess in demand throughout the study period. In 2021 adequacy was 108% and 39% adequacy for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, respectively; these differences were projected to continue through 2036. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the dermatology physician workforce is inadequate to meet the demand for dermatologic services in nonmetropolitan areas. Furthermore, improved access to dermatologic care would bolster demand and especially exacerbate workforce inadequacy in nonmetropolitan areas. Continued efforts are needed to address health inequities and ensure access to quality dermatologic care for all.

Mental health in nursing homes: The role of immigration in the long-term care workforce.

One-fourth of nursing home residents are diagnosed with anxiety disorders and approximately half live with depression. Nursing homes have long struggled with staffing shortages, and the lack of care has further heightened the risk of poor mental health. A key solution to both problems could be immigration. Prior studies have documented how immigrant labor could strengthen the long-term care workforce. We add to this picture by exploring the impact of immigrant inflows on the mental health outcomes of nursing home residents. Using a nationally representative dataset and a shift-share instrumental variable approach, we find empirical evidence that immigration reduces diagnoses of depression and anxiety, the use of antidepressant and antianxiety drugs, and self-assessed symptoms of depression. The results are robust to several sensitivity tests. We further find that the effect is more substantial in facilities with lower direct care staff hours per resident and with likely more immigrants without citizenship. Language barriers tend to be a minor issue when providing essential care. The findings suggest that creating a policy framework that directs immigrant labor to the long-term care sector can mutually benefit job-seeking immigrants and nursing home residents.

Status of the midwifery workforce and childbirth services and the impact of midwife staffing on birth outcomes in China: a multicentre cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the status of the midwifery workforce and childbirth services in China and to identify the association between midwife staffing and childbirth outcomes. DESIGN: A descriptive, multicentre cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Maternity hospitals from the eastern, central and western regions of China. PARTICIPANTS: Stratified sampling of maternity hospitals between 1 July and 31 December 2021.The sample hospitals received a package of questionnaires, and the head midwives from the participating hospitals were invited to fill in the questionnaires. RESULTS: A total of 180 hospitals were selected and investigated, staffed with 4159 midwives, 412 obstetric nurses and 1007 obstetricians at the labour and delivery units. The average efficiency index of annual midwifery services was 272 deliveries per midwife. In the sample hospitals, 44.9% of women had a caesarean delivery and 21.4% had an episiotomy. Improved midwife staffing was associated with reduced rates of instrumental vaginal delivery (adjusted ß -0.032, 95% CI -0.115 to -0.012, p<0.05) and episiotomy (adjusted ß -0.171, 95% CI -0.190 to -0.056, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The rates of childbirth interventions including the overall caesarean section in China and the episiotomy rate, especially in the central region, remain relatively high. Improved midwife staffing was associated with reduced rates of instrumental vaginal delivery and episiotomy, indicating that further investments in the midwifery workforce could produce better childbirth outcomes.

An Analysis of American Urological Association Census Trends: Earlier Planned Retirement and Practice Pattern Changes May Exacerbate the Urology Workforce Shortage.

OBJECTIVE: To explore how changes in planned retirement age, practice setting, and physician productivity may impact the workforce shortage in urology. METHODS: We compared data between the 2015 and 2022 American Urological Association census, a specialty-wide annual survey which collects data on demographics, practice patterns, and procedures from a representative sample of U.S. urologists. Workforce productivity was measured by the self-reported number of hours worked per week and patients seen per week. A novel formula was developed to demonstrate how planned retirement age and productivity impact the workforce's production capacity. RESULTS: The total number of practicing urologists increased during the period from 2015 to 2022 (11,990 to 13,976), while the mean age of practicing urologists decreased slightly (55.0 to 54.5years; P < .002). During this period, the mean planned age of retirement for all urologists decreased from 68.9years to 67.7 (P < .001). Urologists in solo practice had a significantly higher planned age of retirement at 71.9years (P < .001) as compared to all other practice models. The number of patients seen per week for all urologists decreased from 78.7 to 72.9 (P < .001). The amount of hours worked per week remained relatively constant between the study periods. The maximum possible number of patients seen by the workforce prior to retirement increased by only 2.4% during the study interval. CONCLUSION: Though the U.S. urology workforce is growing and the mean age is decreasing, decreases in planned retirement age and productivity may offset these gains and intensify the physician shortage for U.S. urologists.

Taking the Pulse of the Nursing Home Industry in Rhode Island.

INTRODUCTION: Nursing home facilities in Rhode Island face unprecedented challenges today. Most facilities find themselves in a difficult financial position with thin - or negative - operating margins. In addition, Rhode Island enacted new minimum staffing regulations for nursing homes in 2021. Facilities that fail to meet the new staffing requirements would incur significant financial penalties. The persistent shortage of direct care staff, however, limits administrators' ability to hire the workers needed to meet the required staffing levels. METHODS: We conducted an online survey of nursing home administrators at all of the licensed nursing facilities in Rhode Island over 30 days from September to October 2023. We received responses from 53 out of 77 nursing home administrators, for an overall response rate of 69%. RESULTS: A majority of respondents reported numerous vacancies for clinical staff at their facilities. Most administrators felt that it was difficult to hire new staff, despite a variety of financial incentives to recruit workers. As a result, nursing homes were unable to comply with Rhode Island's new minimum staffing requirements. CONCLUSION: Nursing homes in Rhode Island continue to experience a chronic staffing shortage. Furthermore, since a majority of nursing homes in Rhode Island have a negative operating margin, enforcing the state's minimum staffing requirements would impose significant financial hardship on the state's nursing facilities.

Sound the Alarm: The Sonographer Shortage Is Echoing Across Healthcare.

OBJECTIVES: The growth in ultrasound usage necessitates concurrent growth in the number of sonographers. Despite the increasing importance of ultrasound, there is a shortage of sonographers in the United States that has never been specifically quantified. This study examines recent trends in the number of ultrasound exams, sonography graduates, open sonographer positions, and wages. METHODS: This retrospective study uses public databases and surveys including the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and Zippia, a human resources platform to determine metrics. These metrics include the number of ultrasound exams conducted in the United States (excluding inpatient setting), number of sonographers and sonographer wages, sonography graduates, and open sonographer positions. RESULTS: Ultrasound exams in the United States from 2011 to 2021 increased from 38.6 million to 59.8 million (+55.1%,) while the number of sonographers (2011-2021) increased from 54,760 to 78,640 (+43.6%). There was a significant difference between supply and demand of sonographers with the number of sonography graduates (2011-2021) increasing from 4,386 to 5,393 (+23.0%) while the number of open sonographer positions (2012-2021) increased from 18,462 to 25,162 (+36.3%). CONCLUSIONS: From 2011 to 2021, the increase in the number of ultrasound exams has significantly outpaced the increase in the number of sonographers. Furthermore, the increase in demand for sonographers has grown significantly faster than the supply, leading to a shortage and consequent strain on the healthcare system. To address the shortage, the number of sonography school openings should be increased, and the attendant challenges addressed.

The Future State of Race/Ethnicity in Urology: Urology Workforce Projection From 2021-2061.

OBJECTIVE: To project the proportion of the urology workforce that is from under-represented in medicine (URiM) groups between 2021-2061. METHODS: Demographic data were obtained from AUA Census and ACGME Data Resource Books. The number of graduating urology residents and proportion of URiM graduating residents were characterized with linear models. Stock and Flow models were used to project future population numbers and proportions of URiM practicing urologists, contingent on assumptions regarding trainee demographics, retirement trends, and growth in the field. RESULTS: Currently, there is an increase in the percentage of URiM graduates by 0.145% per year. If historical trends continue, URiM urologists will likely comprise 16.2% of urology residency graduates and 13.3% of the practicing urological workforce in 2061. These percentages would constitute an underrepresentation of URiM urologists relative to the projected 44.2% of the U.S. population who would identify as American Indian/Alaskan Native, Black/African American, Latinx/Hispanic and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander by 2060.1 An increase in the percentage of URiM graduates by 0.845% per year would result in 44.2% URiM urology residency graduates and 26.1% URiM practicing urologists by 2061. An interactive app was designed to allow for a range of assumptions to be explored and for future data to be incorporated. CONCLUSION: URiM physician representation within urology over the next 40years will remain disproportionately low compared to that of the projected share of people of color in the general U.S. POPULATION: In order to achieve the AUA's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion goals, a concerted effort to implement interventions to recruit, train, and retain a generation of racially diverse urologists appears necessary.

The changing psychiatry workforce in Australia: Still lacking in rural and remote regions.

INTRODUCTION: There is a long standing and worsening shortage of psychiatrists in Australia particularly in rural areas. The majority of psychiatrists work in major cities. OBJECTIVE: To identify recent trends in the Australian rural psychiatrist workforce compared with the metropolitan workforce. DESIGN: We descriptively analysed population-level data from the National Health Workforce Data Set (NHWDS), the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). A descriptive analysis of the numbers (count) and gender of psychiatrists from 1995 to 2022 working in Australia was conducted. For the period 2013 to 2022, we analysed for rurality, gender, years' experience, hours worked, Medicare-subsidised services provided and proportions of Specialist International Medical Graduates (SIMG) by sex, with a focus on the rural workforce. For international comparison, psychiatrist numbers were obtained for other OECD countries. The number of psychiatrists working in Australia, as per NHWDS and AIHW, was quantified. We analysed trends in demographics, hours worked and rurality of psychiatrists working in Australia in a serial cross-sectional design. FINDINGS: Most psychiatrists are maldistributed to major cities, while outer regional and remote areas have few resident psychiatrists. Outer regional New South Wales (NSW) and South Australia (SA) have the lowest numbers of psychiatrists per capita. The full-time equivalent (FTE) of psychiatrists per 100 000 has increased from 12.6 in 2000 to 15.2 in 2022. However, the average hours worked by psychiatrists has declined. In total, available psychiatrist hours worked per 100 000 population has increased by 6.1% since the beginning of the millennium. DISCUSSION: Rural areas in NSW and SA have the greatest shortage of psychiatrists. Specialist International Medical Graduates and females (43% of the overall workforce) are the predominant workforce in rural areas. Although Medicare-subsidised services per 1000 people have increased in rural areas, they remain lower than for those living in major cities. CONCLUSION: There remains an acute shortage of psychiatrists in many regional and remote areas of Australia, with an increasing proportion of SIMGs and females working in these areas, in the context of future increased demand.

Despair and hope: Is the retail community pharmacy workforce in danger of becoming a monopsony labor market?

OBJECTIVE: Mergers of big chain retail community pharmacies can affect the competitiveness of the pharmacy workforce to negotiate better wages and work conditions. However, it is unclear whether these types of mergers are generalizable to the U.S. pharmacy workforce. We should observe this effect when comparing annual wage trends between retail community pharmacy workers and nonretail community pharmacy workers. In the absence of this effect, annual wage trends would be similar. To examine this theory, annual wage trends for community pharmacy workers were compared with hospital pharmacy workers between 2012 and 2022. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A serial cross-sectional study was performed to compare the annual wages between retail community pharmacy workers and hospital pharmacy workers between 2012 and 2022 using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS). Pharmacy workforce was categorized as pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy aides (clerks) and grouped into retail or hospital pharmacy settings based on the North American Industry Classification System. Pharmacy workers' annual wages were based on the U.S. BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data. OUTCOME MEASURES: Annual wages. RESULTS: Between 2012 and 2022, statistically significant annual wage reduction was greater among pharmacists in the retail than pharmacists in the hospital setting by -$1974 (95% CI -$2921 to -$1026) per year. However, these trends were not statistically significant among pharmacy technicians and pharmacy aides. Pharmacy technicians in the retail and hospital settings had a 3.4% and 7.0% increase in average annual wages, respectively. Pharmacy aides in the retail and hospital settings had a 16.8% and 21.6% increase in average annual wages, respectively. CONCLUSION: Although pharmacists' annual wages decreased, it is unclear whether this was caused by the monopsony labor market. These findings suggest that there may be inefficiencies in the retail community pharmacy labor market, which may stimulate policies to improve pharmacy workforce conditions and patient safety.

An investigation of 3M Cordova, IL production worker's per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances biomonitoring results and mortality experience.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a wide-ranging group of chemicals that have been used in a variety of polymer and surfactant applications. While 3M Cordova, Illinois was not one of 3M's primary manufacturing facilities for the legacy long-chain PFAS (PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS), it has been a major manufacturing site for short-chain PFAS (compounds that are or may degrade to PFBS or PFBA). The purpose of this research focused on: 1) an analysis of biomonitoring data of employees and retirees, and 2) an analysis of the cohort mortality of workers from 1970 to 2018. Employees had higher PFBS and PFBA serum concentrations than the retirees, while retirees had higher concentrations for PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS. Compared to the 2017-2018 NHANES data, employees' PFOS and PFHxS concentrations in 2022 were two-fold higher, with PFOA levels comparable. These NHANES data did not include serum PFBS or PFBA. Cross-sectional trends of PFOS and PFOA levels from 1997 to 2022 showed PFOS declined from 151 ng/mL to 10.4 ng/mL. Similarly, PFOA decreased from 100 ng/mL to 1.5 ng/mL. A longitudinal analysis of 48 participants with measurements in both 2006 and 2022 showed concentrations decreased by 74% for PFOS and 90% for PFOA. In the mortality study, 1707 employees who worked 1 day or longer were followed for an average of 25.6 years and had 143 (8%) deaths. There were no significantly elevated risks for any specific cause of death, regardless of latency period (0 or 15 years). While no specific PFAS exposures were examined, worker mortality experience (1970-2018) was analyzed by major departments representing primary work areas. Employees and retirees at the Cordova facility continue to have elevated PFOS and PFHxS serum concentrations compared to the general population, however, their legacy PFAS concentrations have declined over time, consistent with the estimated serum elimination half-lives of these PFAS in humans assuming nominal ambient exposures. For PFBS and PFBA, the results indicated no long-term accumulation in the blood likely due to their short serum elimination half-lives. After nearly 50 years of follow-up, this Cordova workforce showed no increased risk of mortality from cancer or any other specific cause of death.

Assessment of Demographic Changes of Workforce Diversity in Otolaryngology, 2013 to 2022.

Importance: Given the growth of minoritized groups in the US and the widening racial and ethnic health disparities, improving diversity remains a proposed solution in the field of otolaryngology. Evaluating current trends in workforce diversity may highlight potential areas for improvement. Objective: To understand the changes in gender, racial, and ethnic diversity in the otolaryngology workforce in comparison with changes in the general surgery and neurosurgery workforces from 2013 to 2022. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used publicly available data from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the Association of American Medical Colleges for 2013 to 2022, and included medical students and trainees in all US medical residency programs and allopathic medical schools. Main Outcomes and Measures: Average percentages of women, Black, and Latino trainees during 2 intervals of 5 years (2013-2017 and 2018-2022). Pearson χ2 tests compared demographic information. Normalized ratios were calculated for each demographic group in medical school and residency. Piecewise linear regression assessed linear fit for representation across time periods and compared rates of change. Results: The study population comprised 59 865 medical residents (43 931 [73.4%] women; 6203 [10.4%] Black and 9731 [16.2%] Latino individuals; age was not reported). The comparison between the 2 study intervals showed that the proportions of women, Black, and Latino trainees increased in otolaryngology (2.9%, 0.7%, and 1.6%, respectively), and decreased for Black trainees in both general surgery and neurosurgery (-0.4% and -1.0%, respectively). In comparison with their proportions in medical school, Latino trainees were well represented in general surgery, neurosurgery, and otolaryngology (normalized ratios [NRs]: 1.25, 1.06, and 0.96, respectively); however, women and Black trainees remained underrepresented in general surgery, neurosurgery, and otolaryngology (women NRs, 0.76, 0.33, and 0.68; Black NRs, 0.63, 0.61, and 0.29, respectively). The percentage of women, Black, and Latino trainees in otolaryngology all increased from 2020 to 2022 (2.5%, 1.1%, and 1.1%, respectively). Piecewise regression showed positive trends across all 3 specialties. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this cross-sectional study indicate a positive direction but only a modest increase of diversity in otolaryngology, particularly in the context of national demographic data. Novel strategies should be pursued to supplement existing efforts to increase diversity in otolaryngology.