Principal Investigator: Erin Fraher, PhD, MPP  The Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation process is a critical tool for identifying areas and populations with insufficient access to primary care clinicians. This study examines and documents the differences and similarities in data collection, analytical methods, and decision-making processes used by states to designate HPSAs.

Principal Investigator: Erin Fraher, PhD, MPP Some estimates suggest that 66.5% of primary care HPSAs are in rural areas; however, it is unclear what proportion of all rural areas are primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). This project will assess the proportion of rural areas, using different measures of rurality, that are designated as HPSAs… Read more »

Principal Investigator: Brianna Lombardi, PhD, MSW Nutritionists and registered dietitians (RDs) are essential healthcare professionals who provide medical nutrition therapy, preventive nutrition services, and health promotion programs to address diet-related chronic diseases and improve population health outcomes. This study will compare five national data sources to understand the size and geographic distribution of the nutrition… Read more »

Principal Investigator: Brooke Lombardi, PhD, MSW Limited geographic access to obstetric care jeopardizes timely, high-quality maternity care and contributes to preventable maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in rural and underserved areas of the United States. Strengthening the obstetric workforce through targeted training capacity is one potential strategy to address these access gaps. This study will examine… Read more »

Investigators: Erin Fraher, PhD, MPP Colleen Tapen, MPH, MBA, Haley Simons, Emily Hawes, PharmD, BCPS, CPP An increasing number of US states are allowing international medical graduates (IMGs) to pursue alternative pathways to residency, licensure, and practice, in some cases bypassing the requirement to complete a US residency. In this study, we will interview experts… Read more »

Investigators: Esita Patel, PhD, Erin Fraher, PhD, MPP It is unclear how the COVID-19 pandemic affected turnover of Nurse Practitioners (NP) and how NP turnover varies by setting. This study will compare NP workforce behaviors (e.g., turnover rates, intention to leave, and reasons for leaving or staying) during the pre-pandemic (2018) and mid-pandemic (2022) periods… Read more »

Investigators: Brianna Lombardi, PhD, MSW, Evan Galloway, MPS, Brooke Lombardi, PhD, MSW, Erin Fraher, PhD, MPP As the United States faces worsening workforce shortages and a persistent maldistribution of health care workers, foreign-born and foreign-trained health professionals may comprise an increasingly important labor source. We will develop a data visualization that allows users to explore… Read more »

Investigators: Anna Dodson, BSPH; Nathan Nelson-Maney, BS; Thomas C. Ricketts, MPH, PhD; Jill Forcina PhD, RN, CNE, CNL, OCN Objectives: To develop guidelines for training and information on accessing training resources to “surge” healthcare workforce professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. These documents are called “Playbooks” and are meant to provide health care systems,… Read more »

Investigators: Esita Patel, PhD, Erin Fraher, PhD, MPP It is unclear how the COVID-19 pandemic affected turnover of Nurse Practitioners (NP) and how NP turnover varies by setting. This study will compare NP workforce behaviors (e.g., turnover rates, intention to leave, and reasons for leaving or staying) during the pre-pandemic (2018) and mid-pandemic (2022) periods… Read more »

Investigators: Erin Fraher, PhD, MPP Colleen Tapen, MPH, MBA, Haley Simons, Emily Hawes, PharmD, BCPS, CPP An increasing number of US states are allowing international medical graduates (IMGs) to pursue alternative pathways to residency, licensure, and practice, in some cases bypassing the requirement to complete a US residency. In this study, we will interview experts… Read more »

Investigators: Brianna Lombardi, PhD, MSW, Evan Galloway, MPS, Brooke Lombardi, PhD, MSW, Erin Fraher, PhD, MPP As the United States faces worsening workforce shortages and a persistent maldistribution of health care workers, foreign-born and foreign-trained health professionals may comprise an increasingly important labor source. We will develop a data visualization that allows users to explore… Read more »

Investigators: Erin Fraher, PhD, MPP, Evan Galloway, MPS, Brianna Lombardi, PhD, MSW Shifts in the migration patterns of the population, recent increases in immigration, and new state and federal sources of GME funding have likely spurred changes in where physicians train and practice. This study will update DocFlows version 1 (https://docflows.unc.edu) to track the moves… Read more »

Investigators: Christine M. Everett, PhD, MPH, PA‐C; Brandi Leach, MS; Perri Morgan, PhD, PA‐C Background: Team-based care involving physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) is one recommended strategy for improving access, quality, and cost of care in the patient-centered medical home (PCMH). The fact that PA/NPs can, and do, perform a variety of roles on… Read more »

Investigators: Janet K. Freburger, PT, PhD, Dongmei Li, MS, Anna Johnson, PhD, Erin Fraher, PhD Objectives: Little is known about the use of therapists in the acute to post-acute transition for patients discharged home following stroke. The objectives of this study were: 1) to describe the use of physical and occupational therapists in the acute and post-acute… Read more »