When it comes to policy at the Bowen Center, we are in the business of research. We steward health professions data on behalf of the state, and we use these data to ultimately inform policy.
How can Data inform Health Policy?
How can data inform policy? Health workforce data can be a powerful tool for informing many initiatives. State agencies and the legislature can use these data to answer targeted questions, such as: “Where are our primary care shortages located in Indiana?” or “How many Medicaid providers do we have in our county?” We are committed to ensuring health workforce data gets into the hands of the people that need it, and ensuring it is presented in ways that are accessible and meaningful to many audiences.
It is also important to note that health policy can affect the collection of data as well. Indiana Code 25-1-2-10 was revised in 2018 to require certain health professionals to provide selected information related to their training and practice at the time of license renewal. This policy enables Indiana to have more robust information on our health workforce.
At the Bowen Center we believe that Data and Policy are intrinsically linked because of their profound effect on one another.
Workforce Shortages
Recruitment Incentives
Policy and Programming
Profession-specific Initiatives
Health Workforce Evaluations
What is the Bowen Center’s role in policy?
The Bowen Center does not advocate in support or opposition of any policy.
We see our role as
1) providing our stakeholders with high-quality objective information to make informed decisions and
2) facilitating alignment of intersecting initiatives through convening and coordinating policy or programmatic discussions. We help stakeholders and legislators obtain an accurate representation of current health workforce trends throughout the nation, and how policies might affect Indiana.
Our role ends once we present the facts to officials, we do not try to persuade any decisions.
Looking for our Health Policy resources?
All of our resources can be found in the Bowen Library!
Policy resources are all marked with the topic area of “policy.” Selected the topic area “policy” from the drop-down menu. You can further narrow your search by selecting profession(s), additional topic areas, and year published. You can also search by keyword in the search bar!
If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, we’d love to help. Whether that includes pointing you to existing resources, answering questions, or setting up a special project that fulfills your needs. Fill out our contact form to get in touch.
Serving up Legislative Updates Like it’s Our Job
(because it is)
Check out the Bowen Bi-weekly Bill Brief (B4) Try saying that 5 times fast.
In the Bowen Bi-weekly Bill Brief (otherwise known as the B4),
we track health and health workforce legislation as it makes its way to becoming a law.
We do this each legislative session to make it easy for you to stay up-to-date on health-related legislation in Indiana.
Recent Policy Posts
Data Dump on Indiana’s Nurses in 2023
In the last month the Bowen Center has published our two bi-annual data and brief reports from license renewals, but also two separate briefs. These two extra briefs look at how the Demand for RNs is expected to grow (our RN Demand Brief) and Licensing of APRNs, how...
Indiana 2023 General Assembly & Health Committees
Indiana's 2023 Legislative session has started! Here is how the Indiana General Assembly is divided and who is on the health committees. For updates on health-related legislation in the 2023 session, check out our Bi-weekly Bill Brief (B4), starting...
The Upcoming 2023 Legislative Session
The Bowen Center has monitored Indiana health workforce legislation for the past five legislative sessions through its Bowen Bi-Weekly Bill Brief or “B4.” In 2022, the Bowen Center rolled out a re-designed B4 to enhance the accessibility of customized information...
How is Indiana’s State Government Divided in 2022?
Indiana's last election was November 3, 2020 and the next election is November 3, 2022Indiana Senate The 50 seats in the senate are divided with Republicans in the majority.Republicans: 39Democrats: 11Indiana House The 100 seats in the house are divided with...
Indiana’s 2022 Legislative Session Wrap-up
The Bowen Center monitors Indiana health workforce legislation through the Bowen Bi-Weekly Bill Brief or “B4.” Now it its fourth iteration, the B4 experienced a re-design in 2022 to enhance accessibility of customized information for users. Users can now search for...
COVID-19: Public Health Emergency and the Health Care Response – Where does the health workforce fit in?
Public Health and Health Care The public health and health care sectors are generally seen as “related but separate.” Public health emergencies, such as COVID-19, demonstrate how critical it is for public health and health care initiatives to be aligned and seen as...