Health Care Workforce: Federal Investments in Training and the Availability of Data for Workforce Projections
Abstract
A well-trained and diverse health care workforce is essential for providing Americans with access to quality health care services, including primary care services. To help ensure a sufficient supply of physicians, nurses, dentists, and other direct care health professionals for the nation, the federal government has made significant investments in health care workforce training through various efforts. As Congress considers funding existing or additional training programs that would address any potential shortages of health care professionals, timely and up-to-date estimates of future supply and demand for health care professionals are critical. This statement addresses (1) the scope of the federal governments role in health care workforce training and (2) the availability of data related to projecting health care workforce supply and demand. It is based on findings from two recent GAO reports. The first report identified federal programs that supported postsecondary training and education for direct care health care professionals in fiscal year 2012, including information about program purpose, funding, and targeted health professionals. The second report examined actions HRSA has taken to project the future supply of and demand for physicians, physician assistants, and advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) since publishing its 2008 physician workforce report. These products used a variety of methodologies, which are detailed in each report.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 09, 2014
- Accession Number
- AD1106045
Entities
People
- Linda T. Kohn
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office