At Healthforce Center, our research on the health care workforce offers timely analysis and guidance for providers, policymakers and funders in addressing critical delivery and improvement challenges. We have a team of nationally recognized research experts who work to define issues and support health policy change with rigorous analysis, high-quality data and actionable recommendations.
Our expertise covers the entire health workforce — the full range of licensed professions, credentialed occupations, and emerging roles such as community health workers and peer providers, and across all types of settings from acute to long-term care. We specialize in examining evolving trends in care models, care team composition, and promising new models for the delivery of high-quality health care.
Committed to Improving Health Equity
Our commitment to improving health equity and ensuring a diverse health workforce translates into research that emphasizes expanding cultural competence and language concordance, promoting workforce diversity through education and development programs, and evaluating care models that ensure health equity.
- This report summarizes the findings from a survey of long-term care employers in Arizona conducted from the summer to the fall of 2015. This is the first survey of long-term care (LTC) employers in Arizona and provides an opportunity to evaluate overall demand for health care workers in the state....
- This report presents findings from interviews with health care leaders across Arizona regarding the trends they are observing and their expectations for future health workforce needs. Sixteen health care leaders were interviewed to assess their plans in the face of health care delivery changes and...
- Despite improvements in overall health of the American population, disparities persist, particularly for minority women. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) offers the potential to reduce disparities through expanded insurance coverage, greater access to high-quality care, and bolstered prevention...
- This report summarizes findings from a first of its kind survey of hospital employers in Arizona conducted from summer to fall of 2015. The survey collected information specific to the hiring and training of newly graduated nurses because they are at particular risk for unemployment during a weak...
- This study, which summarizes findings from a survey of general acute care hospital employers, was conducted in collaboration with the Hospital Association of Southern California and HealthImpact. This is the sixth annual survey of hospital registered nurse (RN) employers, and the survey results...
- This survey of recently-graduated California registered nurses (RNs) was intended to gather information about their experiences with simulation-based education, and how such education has or has not prepared them for nursing practice. Most respondents believed that simulation experiences were...
- How will the Affordable Care Act impact demand for health care workers and their wages? The answer could mean good news for physicians and registered nurses, but bad news for health consumers: Increased wages will drive up insurance premiums and reduce the affordability of health insurance....
- The 2010 Institute of Medicine report, "The Future of Nursing: Leading Change,Advancing Health," advocated for nurses to innovate in their practice, research, and education. However, little is known about the innovative behavior of registered nurses or whether there are differences in innovative...
- In 2011, the Institute of Medicine released a report calling for the creation of infrastructure to collect and analyze inter professional health workforce data to ensure that the US has an adequate workforce to meet future health care needs. But, very little progress has been made in the five years...
- The Affordable Care Act is projected to result in nearly three-quarters of a million additional insured people in rural regions of the U.S. These newly insured are expected to generate 1.39 million rural primary care office visits. At a national level it would require 345 full-time equivalent...
- As the Baby Boomer Generation ages into long-term care (LTC) facilities, the number of individuals requiring dental care will rise, but these systems are not set up to adequately meet their needs. The supply of dentists is projected to increase; however, enormous barriers to dental care continue to...
- Despite state and federal efforts to encourage physician assistants (PAs) to help fill primary care gaps, the proportion of PAs practicing in primary care continues to decline. Using job posting data from a leading labor analytics firm, this study finds that the decline could be due to a lack of...
- As the population ages and the Affordable Care Act increases demand for primary care, nurse practitioners (NPs) could help fill the gap, especially in rural areas. This analysis of nationally representative survey data is the first to examine the practice and satisfaction of rural NPs across types...
- This is the first study to examine dental provider attitudes toward the implementation of CDS tools incorporated within an electronic health record. Provider attitudes toward CDS tools can shape the entire implementation process for better or worse. This study contributes to the literature by...
- These are graphic representations of measurable goals that the Campaign for Action has selected to evaluate its efforts in support of the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) landmark report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Full Publication
- As health care shifts away from a fee-for-service model as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), health care workers in California will be called upon to develop new skills and fill new roles. The study’s authors analyzed state and national health care data and conducted in-depth interviews...
- This project explored the effects of nurse practitioner (NP) scope of practice (SOP) legislation on the distribution and practice patterns of NPs as well as their billing practices. The goal was to understand where and how NPs are practicing, identify barriers that limit the degree to which NPs are...
- This leadership report highlights the impact of Healthforce Center’s leadership programs across a diverse group of six leaders. All six individuals graduated from their respective programs having significantly enhanced their leadership capabilities and made meaningful and measurable improvements...
- This report presents research findings on the national landscape of personal care aide (PCA) training requirements across state Medicaid-funded programs. These programs enable older adults and individuals with disabilities to reside safely in their homes and participate in their communities. In the...
- New forecasts of future registered nurse supply and demand in California were developed using data from the 2014 Board of Registered Nursing Survey of RNs and other sources. The models indicate that California is graduating the number of nurses required to ensure adequate supply for the next 20...
- The need for greater involvement of the nursing profession in cost containment efforts has been documented extensively. More thorough education of nurses in the subject of health economics (HE) is one of the factors that could contribute toward achievement of that goal. The project's main...
- This study examines how changing demographics and service use might affect future long-term care worker demand.
- The 2014 Survey of Registered Nurses provides information about the demographics, education, employment, and satisfaction of nurses with California RN licenses.
- Licensed practical nurses (LPNs), referred to as licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) in some states, are the second largest health care occupation that requires postsecondary education. Demand for LPNs is projected to grow substantially over the coming decades, particularly among long-term care...
- One proposed strategy to expand primary care capacity is to use nurse practitioners (NPs) more effectively in health care delivery. However, the ability of NPs to provide care to the fullest extent of their education is moderated by state scope-of-practice (SOP) regulations. The purpose of this...
- What predicts attitudes toward new workforce models among underrepresented minority dentists? National Oral Health Conference. Oral Presentation
- The objective of this study was to assess trends in the supply and employment patterns of LPNs in the USA from 2008 to 2013.
- Policy & Politics in Nursing and Health Care, 7th Edition is the leader in helping students develop skills in influencing policy in today’s changing health care environment. Approximately 150 expert contributors present a wide range of topics in this classic text, providing a more complete...
- Personal care assistants (PCAs) provide supports and services that enable older adults and individuals with disabilities to remain in their homes and community settings. State Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services programs facilitate use of alternatives to institutional care by paying for...
- Personal care assistants (PCAs) provide supports and services that enable older adults and individuals with disabilities to remain in their homes and community settings. State Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services programs facilitate use of alternatives to institutional care by paying for...