Top Stories

Gap Exists Between Vision for Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) to Improve Care Coordination and Clinicians' Experiences
December 22, 2009 -- A gap exists between policy makers' expectations that current commercial electronic medical records (EMRs) can improve coordination of patient care and clinicians' real-world experiences with EMRs.
Source: Center for Studying Health System Change

Doctor Shortage in U.S. Won't Be Aided by More Medical Students
December 16, 2009 -- To combat a nationwide shortage of doctors, medical schools in the U.S. plan to add 3,000 first year students by 2018. It won’t be enough.
Source: Bloomberg

Patterns: Pediatricians Turning to Part-Time Work
December 15, 2009 -- More and more pediatricians are working part time, a new survey reports. Almost one in four, or 23 percent, reported they were on a part-time schedule in 2006, up from 15 percent just six years earlier and 11 percent in 1993.
Source: The New York Times

About 1 in 10 Physician Jobs Are Unfilled, Hospitals Say
December 11, 2009 -- Although a recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report suggests that healthcare sector added more jobs in October, facilities continue to be hampered by a shortage of physicians, AMed News reports.
Source: American Medical News

Hospitals Again Add Jobs While Nation Keeps Losing Them
December 10, 2009 -- Although the overall unemployment rate remains at about 10 percent, the healthcare sector continues to add jobs.
Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Surgeon General Calls for More Minority Doctors
December 9, 2009 -- The new U.S. Surgeon General on Thursday called for stepped-up efforts in increasing the number of minority physicians. Dr. Regina Benjamin noted that the proportion of U.S. physicians who are minorities is only 6% the same proportion as a century ago.
Source: Associated Press

New National Nurses Union Forms
December 7, 2009 -- A new national union of up to 154,000 registered nurses was created in Phoenix today, replacing one of the most aggressive nurse unions in the industry and combining its membership with two other nurse-only labor groups to form National Nurses United.
Source: Modern Healthcare

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

Funding Opportunities

ASCO Study of Geographical Access to Oncology Care Contract Request for Proposals
Grant or contract
The ASCO Study of Geographical Access to Oncology Care will analyze supply and demand for oncology services in a given state(s).
Geographic Coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: January 8, 2010
Sponsor: American Society of Clinical Oncology
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Competency Examination for Individuals Completing Non-Degree Training
Grant or contract
The Competency Examination for Individuals Completing Non-Degree Training program will provide funding to an institution of higher education to support the development and initial administration of a set of health information technology competency examinations.
Geographic Coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: January 25, 2010; Letter of Intent: January 8, 2010
Sponsors: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Curriculum Development Centers Program
Grant or contract
Grants to institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) to support health information technology (HIT) curriculum development.
Geographic Coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: January 14, 2010; Letter of Intent: January 4, 2010
Sponsors: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Grants to Market State Public Health Careers
Grant or contract
ASTHO will provide funding to state public health departments and their partners to conduct activities to market public health careers and/or job opportunities.
Geographic Coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Joan F. Giambalvo Memorial Scholarship
Grant or contract
Funds research focusing on professional work/practice issues that affect women physicians.
Geographic Coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: February 15, 2010
Sponsor: American Medical Association
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Program of Assistance for University-Based Training
Grant or contract
Grants to rapidly increase the availability of individuals qualified to serve in specific health information technology professional roles requiring university-level training.
Geographic Coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: January 25, 2010; Letter of Intent: January 6, 2010
Sponsors: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholars Program
Grant or contract
Funding to develop the next generation of national leaders in academic nursing through career development awards for outstanding junior nursing faculty.
Geographic Coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: February 2, 2010
Sponsor: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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For more funding opportunities, visit the HWIC Funding section.

Resources

Addressing the Primary Care Workforce Crisis for the Underserved
Proposes a link between primary care graduate medical education and care for the underserved in community health centers, where expansion will be necessary for the anticipated increase in Medicaid and insured patients. Addresses the primary care physician workforce crisis, limited access for the underserved, and primary care graduate medical education.
Author: Rieselbach R, Crouse B, Frohna J
Location: Annals of Internal Medicine
Date: 12/2009
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Health Care Workplace Discrimination and Physician Turnover
Examines the relationship between physician ethnicity/race, workplace discrimination, and turnover. Concludes that discrimination is an issue for the medical field and needs to be addressed to promote diversity and increase retention.
Author: Nunez-Smith M, Pilgrim N, Wynia M, Desai MM, Bright C, Krumholz HH, Bradley EH
Location: Journal of the National Medical Association, 101(12), 1274-82
Date: 12/2009
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Local Health Department Job Losses and Program Cuts
Reports on the impact of the economy on the programs, budget, and workforce for local health departments.
Organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
Date: 11/2009
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National Trends in the United States of American Physician Assistant Workforce from 1980 to 2007
Reports findings from a study using 1980-2007 U.S. Census data to determine the demographic distribution of the physician assistant (PA) workforce and PA-to-population relationships.
Author: He XE, Cyran E, Salling M
Location: Human Resources for Health, 7(8)
Date: 11/2009
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Redesigning Continuing Education in the Health Professions
Examines continuing education for all health professionals. Explores development of a national continuing education institute. Offers guidance on the establishment and operation of an institute to develop a coordinated continuing professional development system.
Organization: Institute of Medicine
Date: 12/2009
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Rewards and Advancements for Clinical Pharmacists
Reports on a survey of pharmacy managers and clinical pharmacists on systems of awards and advancements for clinical pharmacists, barriers to implementing these systems, and other motivators. Concludes that work-life balance, work schedules, and a clear advancement and award structure were underused.
Organization: American College of Clinical Pharmacy
Author: Goodwin SD, Kane-Gill SL, Ng TMH, Melroy JT, et al.
Location: Pharmacotherapy, 30(1), 68e-85e
Date: 1/2010
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Training New Dental Health Providers in the U.S.
Document
Explores the idea of developing dental therapists to increase the availability of dental care for underserved populations in the United States. Covers the success of implementing these mid-level providers internationally. Includes tables of types of services and procedures performed by various types of dental providers as well as training information.
Organizations: Children's Dental Health Project, Columbia University, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Author: Edelstein Burton L.
Date: 12/2009
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For more resources, visit the HWIC Resources section.

Events

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