Top Stories

California Nurse-Staffing Law Saves Lives, Study Says
April 22, 2010 -- A new study on nurse staffing levels was hailed by the California Nurses Association on Tuesday as proof that the state's nursing-ratio law is saving lives.
Source: The Sacramento Bee (CA)

Budget Woes Force Indiana University Medical School to Cut Incoming Class Size
April 20, 2010 -- At a time when new medical schools are opening up and expanding, the Indiana University School of Medicine is planning to reduce the number of first-year medical students it admits in August 2010 to deal with a $7 million reduction in state funds.
Source: AAFP News Now

Health Professions Opportunities to be Reissued
April 19, 2010 -- The Health Resources and Services Administration will reissue certain funding opportunity announcements to reflect changes in the authorizing legislation as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Source: Health Resources and Services Administration

Congress Holds Off Doc Pay Cut Through May 31
April 16, 2010 -- Congress approved legislation on Thursday night that delays the looming 21% physician cut in Medicare reimbursements that had been in effect since April 1.
Source: HealthLeaders Media

Many Physicians Think Meeting 'Meaningful Use' Criteria Could Slow Productivity
April 14, 2010 -- Many physician practices say they expect to experience a drop in productivity during the coming months as they attempt to meet new government regulations for "meaningful use" of electronic health records, according to new research.
Source: AAFP News Now

Doctor Shortage Leading States to Consider Expanding the Role of Nurses
April 13, 2010 -- With a looming shortage of primary care doctors, 28 states are considering expanding the authority of nurse practitioners.
Source: The Ledger

Health Reform's Next Challenge: Who Will Care for the Newly Insured?
April 12, 2010 -- Projected shortages of physicians, especially in primary care, could make it harder for patients to access care.
Source: American Medical News

Proposed Project: National Health Service Corps Alumni Initiative
April 8, 2010 -- The Bureau is proposing to develop a database of NHSC Alumni to establish an active network of Alumni to serve as a resource for the recruitment, counseling, and/or mentoring of future and current primary health care providers.
Source: Federal Register

For more news, visit the HWIC News & Updates section.

Funding Opportunities

Behavioral Health Pacesetter Award
Award (honorary)
Seeks to bring national recognition to organizations that have fostered workforce practices which strengthen behavioral health businesses, enhance conditions for some of its lowest wage workers, and improve client outcomes.
Geographic Coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: May 14, 2010
Sponsors: Hitachi Foundation, The Annapolis Coalition on the Behavioral Health Workforce
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Cherokee Inspired Comfort Award
Award (monetary)
Provides nurses, healthcare workers, their colleagues, and the public a national opportunity to recognize exceptional service, sacrifice and innovation resulting in encouraging and inspirational accounts that we share with the nation.
Geographic Coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: May 31, 2010
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Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP)
Grant or contract
The goal of the Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) is to assist individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds to undertake education to enter a health profession.
Geographic Coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: June 1, 2010
Sponsors: Health Resources and Services Administration, HRSA Bureau of Health Professions
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Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Grants: Open Opportunities
HRSA has many workforce-related funding opportunities currently accepting applications. Some of these programs have been reissued to reflect changes in the authorizing legislation as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

NHSC Loan Repayment Half-Time Pilot Project
Loan repayment
Recruits fully-trained health professionals to provide culturally competent, interdisciplinary primary health services to underserved populations located in selected Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Geographic Coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: May 25, 2010
Sponsors: Health Resources and Services Administration, HRSA Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service, HRSA National Health Service Corps
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Regional Collaborative for the Pacific Basin (RCPB)
Grant or contract
Support for a regional health policy body organized to improve the health of residents in the six U.S.-affiliated Pacific Basin jurisdictions. Includes role as a regional Primary Care Office (PCO).
Geographic Coverage: U.S.-affiliated Pacific Basin jurisdictions
Application Deadline: May 21, 2010; Letter of Intent: April 30, 2010 (Optional)
Sponsor: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program - Information for Colleges
Grant or contract
The program promotes diversity among health professions students and practitioners by providing scholarships for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Geographic Coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: June 1, 2010
Sponsors: Health Resources and Services Administration, HRSA Bureau of Health Professions
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For more funding opportunities, visit the HWIC Funding section.

Resources

Electronic Medical Records and Communication with Patients and Other Clinicians: Are We Talking Less?
Reports on a study of physicians to determine how electronic medical records help and hinder their interpersonal communication. Identifies benefits, challenges, potential solutions, and policy implications. Supports interpersonal communication skills training in the presence of EMRs and incentives for communication among physicians about shared patients.
Organization: Center for Studying Health System Change
Author: O'Malley AS, Cohen GR, Grossman JM
Date: 4/2010
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Evaluation of Options for Medical Malpractice System Reform
Gathers theories and evidence related to medical malpractice reform. Analyzes eight reforms used by many states and six less tested reforms and their impact on malpractice claims, physician supply, quality of care, and more.
Organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
Author: Mello MM, Kachalia A
Date: 4/2010
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Health Care Employment Projections: An Analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Projections, 2008-2018
Presents a summary of labor projections for the period 2006 through 2016 for health care settings and health care occupations. The report is designed to provide information about projected trends to help health care industry, educators, policy makers, and other stakeholders better understand which health occupations and professions will be in greatest demand in the next 10 years and how to best to allocate resources to meet those needs.
Organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies - SUNY Albany
Author: Martiniano R, Bates A, and Armstrong D
Date: 3/2010
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HWIC - Health Reform Resources
Health workforce organizations have begun issuing reports that discuss the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as amended by the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010. HWIC checks many different organizations’ websites daily for new reports, web sites and other useful resources to add to this list.
Date: 4/2010

Linking Cultural Competence Training to Improved Health Outcomes: Perspectives From the Field
Offers perspectives on measuring the impact of cultural competence training on health care outcomes and identifies the key principles of cultural competence.
Author: Betancourt JR, Green AR
Location: Academic Medicine, 85(4), 583-5
Date: 4/2010
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A Summary of the October 2009 Forum on the Future of Nursing: Acute Care
Additional Link: Webcast & Presentations
Summarizes the discussions of an October 2009 forum, which brought together more than 300 participants at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA to explore new approaches that involve nurses providing safe, efficient, and effective care in acute care settings and across the health continuum.
Organizations: Institute of Medicine, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Date: 4/2010
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Which Medical Schools Produce Rural Physicians? A 15-Year Update
Analyzes the training of rural physicians, including medical schools and rural residency programs. Identifies the percent of rural physicians who are women and which medical schools had the highest percentage of graduates practicing in rural areas.
Author: Chen F, Fordyce M, Andes S, Hart G
Location: Academic Medicine, 85(4), 594-598
Date: 4/2010
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For more resources, visit the HWIC Resources section.

Events

For more events, visit the HWIC Events & Training section.