Identify and reduce professional health workforce shortages.
Definition
Story Behind the Curve
The CT DPH Primary Care Office (PCO) works cooperatively with the Federal Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) to identify shortages of critical health care providers in CT's high need areas. Beginning in October 2014, the PCO will work with the DPH Licensing Section to obtain physician profile data to determine current workforce shortages based on HRSA's defined criteria. This process will produce more complete and accurate data now that the paper surveys that were previously used were phased out primarily due to low response rates. This measure is developmental, and no data is currently available.
Partners
Connecticut Department of Public Health; State Department of Education; Connecticut Office of Higher Education; Connecticut Department of Labor; Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services; Connecticut Department of Social Services; Connecticut Office of Rural Health; Office of Health Care Reform and Innovation; local public health agencies; federal health agencies; national health provider accrediting bodies; other organizations and coalitions focused on health workforce issues; community service organizations serving specific populations (children, older adults, underserved populations); health insurers; community health centers and hospitals; health professional associations; schools of public health, allied health, nursing and medicine; and philanthropic organizations that address access to care and health workforce issues.
What Works
The CT DPH Primary Care Office (PCO) works cooperatively with the Federal Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) to identify shortages of critical health care providers in CT's high need areas.
Strategy
For current year strategies and actions, click here (right click to open link).
Support development of the future pipeline for primary care and public health workforce to address the needs of population health.
Invest in emerging health disciplines (i.e., community health workers, patient navigators, certified medical translators).
Conduct gap analysis to identify shortages.
Leverage/build upon existing health workforce enhancement initiatives.
Develop at least one new statewide incentive to attract/retain/redistribute identified gap providers for Public Health/Health Care.
Monitor health professional workforce shortage areas and medically underserved areas
Gather or develop reliable, reproducible data on existing workforce by type and FTE practicing in the state of Connecticut