by Zachary Ammerman | Nov 19, 2024 | Data
For National Rural Health Day (Nov. 21), we are highlighting the significant health challenges facing rural communities both in Indiana and nationwide. Rural communities across America face a mounting health care crisis marked by hospital closures, provider shortages, and delayed emergency response times. These problems compound together to create significantly worse health outcomes for rural areas, with higher rates of mortality for most major causes of death occurring in rural areas as compared to urban zones. These problems are particularly exacerbated by a lack of health workers: Rural areas have significantly fewer health care providers per capita, with important gaps in specialists, mental health professionals, and primary care physicians. This provider scarcity creates dangerous barriers to medical care for rural communities.
Check out the infographic below for some alarming facts on rural health disparities both in Indiana and the United States. These statistics paint a concerning picture of the current state of rural health care access and the resulting impact on community health outcomes.
The charts and graphics used in this infographic were originally prepared for a presentation on rural health given earlier this year by Sierra Vaughn, Bowen’s Assistant Director of Data and Research. You can check out a blog post about her presentation and download her powerpoint here.
OTHER BOWEN RESOURCES RELATED TO RURAL HEALTH:
Almost all of our health workforce data and reports touch on rural health communities in one way or another, but these two resources are particularly focused on challenges related to rural communities:
- PLAYBOOK: Mental and behavioral health challenges are particularly acute in rural communities in Indiana and nationwide. Bowen has developed a detailed plan to tackle Indiana’s mental health crisis, called the Playbook for Enhancing Indiana’s Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce. Check out the Playbook project home page here.
- EMS: Emergency Medical Services also pose a critical challenge to rural communities in Indiana and across the country, with significantly slower response times in most rural areas for emergency services. See more details about tackling this critical health workforce shortage on our dedicated EMS project page or by downloading our 2023 report on this topic here.
↓↓ Keep scrolling to see a full infographic on rural health challenges in both Indiana and the United States as a whole. ↓↓
Sources:
- Rural Population Health in the United States: A Chartbook. 2023. NC Rural Health Research Program
- O’Grady E, Bugbee M, Fenne M. Private Equity Descends on Rural Healthcare. 2023. Private Equity Stakeholder Project
- Indiana Hospital Mergers/Acquisitions, Expansion, & Closures. 2024 Employers’ Forum of Indiana.
- Jonk, Y., Milkowski, C., Croll, Z., & Pearson, K. (2023). Ambulance Deserts: Geographic Disparities in the Provision of Ambulance Services [Chartbook]. University of Southern Maine, Muskie School, Maine Rural Health Research Center.
- Rural Health Information Hub; Addressing Rural Health Worker Shortages Will Improve Population Health and Create Job Opportunities. 2024. U.S. Congress Join Economic Committee.
- Crouch E, Nelson J, Merrell MA, Martin A. The oral health status of America’s rural children: An opportunity for policy change. J Public Health Dent. 2021 Dec;81(4):251-260. doi: 10.1111/jphd.12444. Epub 2021 Jan 27. PMID: 33501720. Rural/Urban Differences in Children’s Health. NSCH Data Brief. 2020. Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health
- Maxey H, Medlock C, Vaughn S. Indiana’s School-Based Health Workforce. 2020. Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy, Indiana University School of Medicine.
- Albert, Jim. “Strategies to rebuild rural health care facilities: focusing capital in key areas can help to strengthen rural hospital and provide stability.” Health Facilities Management, American Hospital Association. August 26, 2020
- Nowak, Tim. 10 things rural EMS providers need to consider. EMS1, Pulsara, April 2, 2021
- Community Health & Wellness Partners – https://chwpcares.org/school-based-health-center/
by Zachary Ammerman | Oct 23, 2024 | Data
This October, as we celebrate National Dental Hygiene Awareness Month, the Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy recognizes Indiana’s dental hygienists – the dedicated professionals who play a crucial role in preventive oral health care and patient education.
Indiana’s Dental Hygienist Snapshot:
- 96.7% of hygienists work directly in patient care
- Most provide services in dental office settings
- 83% received their education in Indiana, demonstrating strong in-state retention
- More hygienists are pursuing bachelor’s degrees than ever before
- Increasing diversity: the percentage of hygienists identifying as Hispanic, Latino(a), or Spanish origin grew from 1.6% in 2010 to 3.6% in 2022, more than doubling over twelve years
- Expanding services: hygienists provide critical preventive care including cleanings, sealants, oral cancer screenings, and tobacco cessation counseling
Despite workforce growth over the past decade, dental hygienists remain in high demand across Indiana. Dentists consistently report dental hygiene positions as their most challenging positions to fill.
Learn more about Indiana’s dental hygiene workforce through our comprehensive reports:
by Zachary Ammerman | Oct 14, 2024 | Data, Reports
Licensed pharmacists are essential spokes in the health care wheel. In addition to dispensing medication, they collaborate with other health care providers to advise on and ensure medication treatments are safe and effective, and even more. Their roles have expanded over the years, with many now offering vaccinations, health screenings, and medication therapy management services. Learn more about the many settings in which they work and the important role they play in the health care workforce below.
Data Report
This has the data, tables, and descriptive analysis that are the bedrock of the rest of the documents linked here. It’s a one-stop shop containing demographic, education, practice settings, and other information on Indiana pharmacists. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the pharmacist workforce, offering valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and health care administrators.
Brief
This is a digestible take on the Indiana pharmacist workforce and the policies that impact it. Visualizations and commentary help provide context for and insight into the data. The brief highlights key trends and changes in the workforce, making complex data accessible to a broader audience.
Diversity Report
Turning an eye toward diversity in the workforce, this looks at how diversity among Indiana’s pharmacists has changed over the years and how that compares to the state as a whole. It also highlights policies and programs that may be contributing to diversity. This report is crucial for understanding how well the pharmacist workforce represents the communities it serves and identifying areas for improvement.
Demand Brief
This shows pharmacist job growth projections through 2030 and highlights the top counties for growth. The brief provides essential information for workforce planning, helping to anticipate future needs and potential shortages in different regions of the state.
by Zachary Ammerman | Oct 8, 2024 | Data, Playbook
As we recognize Mental Health Awareness Week (Oct. 6-12), and World Mental Health Day (Oct. 10), the Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy would like to highlight our ongoing efforts to analyze and strengthen Indiana’s behavioral health workforce.
Key Findings on Indiana’s Behavioral Health Workforce:
- As of 2022, Indiana had 10,503 active BHHS professionals serving Hoosiers, of which 9,449 were included in our reporting sample
- These include social workers (61.7%), mental health counselors (28.5%), marriage and family therapists (6.9%), and addiction counselors (2.9%)
- The workforce is predominantly female (83.1%), with an average age of 46.3 years
- 71.6% of BHHS professionals report providing telehealth services
- However, all 92 counties in Indiana have federally designated mental health professional shortage areas
Check out all of the data in our in-depth reports and interactive data visualization below:
To address workforce challenges, the Bowen Center recently led the development of the Playbook for Enhancing Indiana’s Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce. This comprehensive project brought together stakeholders to identify opportunities for strengthening the pipeline from education to practice for mental health professionals.
The Playbook provides recommendations in four key areas:
- Securing the Pipeline: Strategies include growing awareness of mental health careers among youth, addressing training “deserts” in underserved areas, and expanding psychiatry residencies and psychology internships.
- Strengthening Clinical Training: Recommendations focus on expanding clinical experiences, elevating the role of professional supervisors, and creating incentives for clinical training.
- Aligning Education, Policy, and Practice: The Playbook suggests creating new positions to streamline licensing processes and ensuring evidence-based practices are integrated into education and continuing training.
- Assessing School-Based Behavioral Health: Recognizing the critical need for youth mental health services, the Playbook recommends enhanced data collection on school-based behavioral health professionals.
These recommendations provide a roadmap for policymakers, educators, employers, and professionals to strengthen Indiana’s mental health workforce. It is crucial to remember that data and policy choices about mental health care in Indiana have real-life impacts for thousands of Hoosiers in their everyday lives.
Read more about the Playbook on our dedicated webpage here.
Data Visualization on the Hoosier BHHS Workforce:
by Zachary Ammerman | Oct 5, 2024 | Data
Scroll to the bottom to check out a data visualization providing a snapshot of the Physician Assistant workforce in Indiana, based on Bowen Center data
As we celebrate National Physician Assistants Week (October 6-12), we want to recognize the critical role PAs play in our healthcare system and share some key insights from our recent research on Indiana’s PA workforce.
At the Bowen Center, our core mission is to collect comprehensive data on all aspects of the health workforce, transforming it into actionable information products for policymakers and health industry experts.
Our 2022 data on Physician Assistants shows:
- There were 2,442 PA license renewals in Indiana in 2022, of which 1,320 were included in our reporting sample
- 74.7% of Indiana PAs are female, with an average age of 37.8 years
- 95.5% of PAs report their primary field is in patient care/documentation
- 46.1% of Indiana PAs reported engaging in telehealth services
We’re also seeing strong projected growth for the PA profession in Indiana:
- The Indiana Department of Workforce Development projects a 35% increase in PA jobs from 2020 to 2030
- 15 Indiana counties are estimated to see PA job growth of 25% or more in this period
However, our research also highlights some workforce distribution challenges, with 20 Indiana counties reporting no PA full-time equivalents.
This Physician Assistants Week, we celebrate the invaluable contributions of PAs while continuing our work to analyze workforce trends and support evidence-based policy making. To all the PAs serving Hoosiers – thank you for your dedication and service!
Read our full PA workforce reports to learn more. And scroll down to check out a data visualization snapshot of Indiana’s Physician Assistant workforce, based on the data available in the three reports below:
by Zachary Ammerman | Aug 15, 2024 | Data, Events, Presentations
Bowen Assistant Director of Data and Research Sierra Vaughn
Bowen’s Assistant Director of Data and Research Sierra Vaughn gave a presentation on rural health care in Indiana to the Indiana Rural Health Association on August 1.
Mirroring national trends, rural health care in Indiana faces significant challenges. The state has seen hospital closures, with 52 rural hospitals remaining as of 2024, and 25% of open hospitals experiencing service reductions. Workforce shortages are acute, particularly in mental health, where rural areas have two-thirds fewer behavioral health professionals than urban areas. Additionally, 35 Indiana counties lack a birthing hospital, impacting maternal care access. These issues are compounded by broader rural health disparities, including slower life expectancy increases and higher mortality rates for conditions like heart disease and cancer compared to urban areas.
Read more about the challenges faced by rural hospitals in Indiana and nationwide as well as potential solutions in Vaughn’s presentation here:
