In the News

Nearly One in Five New Nurses Leaves First Job within a Year, According to Survey of Newly-Licensed Registered Nurses - Turnover of registered nurses (RNs) is an important and widely used measure in analyzing the health care workforce. It’s used to project the job market for nurses (based on availability of jobs) and can also be considered an indicator of whether a health care organization has a good working environment. A study in the current issue of Policy, Politics & Nursing Practice reveals that an estimated 17.5 percent of newly-licensed RNs leave their first nursing job within the first year, and one in three (33.5%) leave within two years. The researchers found that turnover for this group is lower at hospitals than at other health care settings. TO READ MORE click here Advocates Work to Recruit Latinos to Nursing - Latinos are the most underrepresented minority in the nursing workforce—an ominous sign for the health of the country’s surging Latino population. TO READ MORE click here Why Are There So Few Doctors in Rural America? - Plenty of people from the "lower 48" have moved to Bethel for its rugged charm and unparalleled salmon fishing. But many others, the hyper-educated in particular, find the quirks of remote Alaskan life too daunting. Much of rural Alaska, like much of the rest of the rural U.S., faces a severe shortage of doctors and dentists. TO READ MORE click here

In the News

More Nursing Schools Preparing Students to Provide Team-Based Care - According to rwjf.com, on August 13, 2014, the University of Washington is one of at least four of the nation’s top nursing schools now requiring students to participate in at least one interprofessional education course or activity... that promotes interprofessional education as a way to foster collaborative practice and improve the quality and safety of care. click here Minnesota responds to rural doctor shortage with teams, training, telemedicine - According to minnpost.com, on August 11, 2014, the health-care provider landscape of Greater Minnesota is one where primary-care physicians are becoming older and fewer, while their patients also are older but growing in number, said Mark Schoenbaum, director of the Minnesota Department of Health's Office of Rural Health and Primary Care. Medical schools, health-care systems and legislators alike know of the problems and are doing their best to solve them.TO READ MORE click here

In the News

Physical Work Environment in Hospitals Affects Nurses’ Job Satisfaction, With Implications for Patient Outcomes, Health Care Costs - According to rwjf.com, on July 17, 2014, job satisfaction is an important predictor of registered nurses’ (RNs) job turnover, patient satisfaction, and nurse-sensitive patient outcomes (including pressure ulcers and falls), which can result in higher health care costs and penalties for hospitals that receive Medicare and Medicaid payments. Numerous studies have been conducted to assess nurses’ job satisfaction, asking about nurse-physician relationships, opportunities for promotion, autonomy, and similar issues, but very few have addressed the impact of the physical work environment on RNs’ job satisfaction.TO READ MORE click here Twenty Accomplished Nurses from Across Country Selected for Prestigious National Nurse Fellowship Program - According to rwjf.com, on July 30, 2014, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) today announced the 20 nurses from across the United States [including two from MUSC] who have been selected as RWJF Executive Nurse Fellows for 2014, the program’s last cohort. This diverse group will participate in a three-year, world-class leadership development program that is enhancing the effectiveness of nurse leaders who are working to improve the nation’s health care system. TO READ MORE click here An Unexpected Growth in the Nursing Workforce - According to rwjf.org, on August 8, 2014, More registered nurses (RNs) are delaying retirement, a phenomenon that is contributing to a larger-than-expected supply of nurses, according to a new study in Health Affairs.TO READ MOREclick here

In the News

College of Nursing receives grant to prepare PhD nurses - According to moultrienews.com, on July 22, The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) College of Nursing is one of only 14 schools of nursing nationwide to be among the first to receive a grant from a new Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) program to increase the number of nurses holding a PhD degree. As an inaugural grantee of the Future of Nursing Scholars program, the MUSC College of Nursing will select one student to receive financial support, mentoring and leadership development over the three years of his or her PhD program.TO READ MORE click here

The Drawn-Out Medical Degree - According to nytimes.com, on August 1, should medical education be shorter? The answer is yes, at least according to administrators at many of America’s leading medical schools.”TO READ MORE click here

In the News

Part of the Solution: Pre-Baccalaureate Healthcare Workers in a Time of Health System Change - According to brookings.edu, on July 24, 2014, healthcare occupations account for a large and growing share of the workforce and span the education and earnings continuum. Although many discussions of the healthcare workforce focus on doctors and other occupations requiring advanced degrees, the healthcare system would not function without pre-baccalaureate workers—those with less than a bachelor’s degree. TO READ MORE click here Health care jobs lift less-educated workers - According to usatoday.com, on July 24, 2014, the boom in health care jobs is skewed toward positions requiring less education and providing lower-paid workers a potential pathway to better careers.TO READ MORE click here

In the News

Nurses Lead Innovations in Geriatrics and Gerontology- According to rwjf.org, on July 11, 2014, nurse-led initiatives are intended to help the nation’s health care system prepare for a crush of elderly people with multiple chronic conditions.TO READ MORE click here Bottlenecks in Training Doctors - According to nytimes.com, on July 19, 2014, experts disagree over how bad the current shortages are. But virtually all agree that the problem is acute in rural areas and in poor urban neighborhoods. As of June 19, according to one estimate cited by analysts in the Department of Health and Human Services, there was a shortage of 16,000 primary care physicians in such underserved areas.TO READ MORE* click here Nurses Shift, Aiming for More Time with Patients - According to the Wall Street Journal, on July 21, 2014, hospitals hope extra face time and personal attention will help make recovery easier. TO READ MORE click here

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More Newly Licensed Nurse Practitioners Choosing to Work in Primary Care, Federal Study Finds - According to rwjf.org, on June 10, 2014, for more than a decade, the percentage of newly licensed nurse practitioners who chose to work in primary care was on the decline. But that trend is changing, according to a survey released last month by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA. TO READ MORE click here Schumer: Plan Will Help Recruit More Rural Doctors - According to Olean Times Herald on June 5, 2014, Legislation that U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., says will address a growing shortage of primary care doctors in Upstate New York is being called a big step in the right direction. The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act will increase the number of Medicare-supported physician training slots by 15,000 nationwide over the next few years, placing emphasis on giving those slots to hospitals that serve rural areas suffering from doctor shortages.TO READ MOREclick here GHS to Require B.S. Degrees for Nurses - According to GreenvilleOnline.com on June 28, 2014, Greenville Health System will begin requiring Bachelor of Science degrees for some of its nurses beginning next month because health care delivery is getting more complex. Research shows that having more nurses with bachelor’s degrees leads to better patient outcomes, officials said, noting that the Institute of Medicine recommends that 80 percent of nurses should have a bachelor’s degree by 2020. TO READ MORE click here

In the News

In the News

Addressing the Nation’s Physician Workforce Needs: The Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) Recommendations on Graduate Medical Education Reform - According to the Journal of General Internal Medicine, in April 2014, recommendations are given on how to reform the Graduate Medical Education (GME) system to support the development of a physician workforce that aligns with the unique needs of America’s healthcare delivery system.TO READ MORE click here Sharp Increases in the Clinician Pipeline: Opportunity and Danger - According to Health Affairs Blog, on June 9, 2014, Ed Salsberg of the George Washington University, in his latest Health Affairs blog, points out that the recent rapid increase in the pipeline for clinicians in 4 professions (NPs, PAs, pharmacists and RNs) is likely to help meet short term needs but continued growth could lead to an overshoot and surpluses in the longer term which also have serious negative consequences.TO READ MORE click here

In the News

The 2014 GME Residency Match Results: Is There Really a “GME Squeeze”? - A recent blog by Ed Salsberg, past director of the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, takes a look at the question of a GME ‘squeeze’ from a national perspective.TO READ MORE click here Graham Center Projects Increase in Physicians Working in Shortage Areas - According to aafp.org, on Apr 23, 2014, AAFP's Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Family Medicine and Primary Care recently published a policy brief that looked at the projected impact of the Primary Care Residency Expansion program on the number and distribution of new primary care physicians. One major take-away from the study was that family medicine residency programs represented the highest return on investment in terms of turning out primary care physicians who would likely work in health professional shortage areas or rural areas. TO READ MORE click here

In the News

Despite sluggish hospital hiring, healthcare reports job growth - According to Modern Healthcare, on May 2, healthcare continued to add jobs last month, but the industry's employment growth occurred largely outside of hospitals, which until recently were a steady source of payroll gains. TO READ MORE click here Nursing Job Outlook Sunny as Experts Project Need for More Than One Million New Nurses by 2022 - According to RWJF.org, on May 19, more than half a million positions for registered nurses (RNs) are projected to open up between 2012 and 2022, according to data released in January by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). TO READ MORE click here State Variability in Supply of Office-based Primary Care Providers: United States 2012 - According to NCHS Data Brief, May 2014, this report presents state estimates of the supply of primary care physicians per capita, as well as the availability of physician assistants or nurse practitioners in primary care physicians’ practices. Estimates are based on data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), Electronic Health Records (EHR) Survey, a nationally representative survey of office-based physicians. TO READ MORE click here

In the News

Expanding Nursing Assistant Responsibilities Could Save $400M - According to FierceHealthcare, on April 14, public hospitals could save almost $430 million a year by expanding responsibilities for nursing assistants, allied health assistants and registered nurses, according to a new report.TO READ MORE click here Experienced Nurses Shorten Length of Stay, Improve Patient Outcomes - According to FierceHealthcare, on April 15, more experienced nurses deliver better patient care and shorten length of stay, according to a study published in the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics. TO READ MORE click here Look Beyond Nurse-Patient Ratios - According to HealthLeaders Media, on April 16, nurses who advocate for patient safety often cite nurse staffing ratios as a top concern. Evidence suggests more education for nurses, not a mandated, one-size-fits-all approach to staffing, is a better way forward. TO READ MORE click here

In the News

Pharmacists Increasingly Take on Clinical Roles - According to kaiserhealthnews.org, on February 11, once limited to filling and dispensing drugs, pharmacists are increasingly providing direct care to patients. Across the country, they are working with doctors to give immunizations and help patients safely manage medications. In some places, they can even write prescriptions after a physician's diagnosis.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

Apprehensive, Many Doctors Shift to Jobs with Salaries - According to the New York Times, on February 13, American physicians are worried about changes in the health care market and are streaming to salaried jobs with hospitals.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

In the News

More Residents Choose Family Medicine, but Gaps Remain in Primary Care Workforce - According to AMA Wire, on January 15, despite a higher number of family medicine residency positions and more medical school graduates choosing family medicine careers in 2013, recent boosts still will fall short of increasing the primary care workforce. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE The Four Pillars for Primary Care Physician Workforce Reform: A Blue Print for Future Activity - According to annfammed.org, in January 2014, the Council of Academic Family Medicine (CAFM), representing the family medicine academic organizations, has adopted the “Four Pillars for Primary Care Physician Workforce” as a succinct model to identify necessary conditions to ensure the needed growth in the number of primary care physicians. TO READ MORECLICK HERE Experienced Nurses Are Less Expensive Than You Think - According to HealthLeaders Media, on January 8, health care leaders now have data to back up what many already know: more clinical nursing experience means better pediatric patient outcomes.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

In the News

The Future of Jobs in Health Care - According to U.S. News & World Report, on November 26, experts discussed the rewards of a medical career, trends in health care employment, why the health field is changing, how it will change and which jobs have the greatest potential for growth. ***TO READ MORE*** CLICK HERE Demand for Heath Care Training Continues to Grow - According to Community College Daily, on December 2, as health care providers, patients and employers adjust to health care law changes, community colleges are gearing up to keep pace with rising economic and societal demands for medical and allied health professionals. ***TO READ MORE*CLICK HERE The 7 Hottest Jobs of the Health Care Boom - According to SFGate.com on October 29, some of the hottest jobs in healthcare right now have been around for years but are now seeing increased demand, while others are more recently created.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

In the News

The 7 Hottest Jobs of the Health Care Boom - According to SFGate.com on October 29, some of the hottest jobs in healthcare right now have been around for years but are now seeing increased demand, while others are more recently created.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

2013 State Physician Workforce Data Book Now Available - According to aamc.org on November 4, The 2013 State Physician Workforce Data Book includes data by state for physician supply undergraduate and graduate medical education, and in-state retention rates, as well as interactive summaries for each state.TO READ MORE*CLICK HERE

S.C. needs more doctors in rural parts of the state - TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

In the News

Rural hospitals in South Carolina struggle to transition during difficult financial times, shifting health care landscape - According to Post and Courier on October 24, as populations in rural South Carolina decline and hospital admissions drop everywhere, rural hospitals find themselves facing a financial crisis.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE Staffing the Hospital of Tomorrow - According to the U.S. News & World Report on October 16, industry challenges are changing the way hospitals hire staff. Hospitals are overwhelmingly seeking primary care providers. Also, demand is increasing rapidly for nurse practitioners and physicians assistants.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE Urgent Care Clinics Expect Growth - According to MedCity News on September 27, urgent care centers are expected to increase and fill the patient needs gap as primary care doctor shortage grows.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

In the News

In the News

Are 3-Year Medical Degrees Good Enough for Future Docs? - According to Fierce Healthcare, on September 17, more medical schools are turning to a three-year solution, offering future primary care doctors an accelerated program and major savings. But not all health educators favor the fast-track approach and urge caution when redesigning medical education. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE Educators Call for Abbreviated Medical School Curriculum to Reduce Student Debt, Strengthen Workforce - According to MedicalDaily.com, on September 20, medical students and universities could benefit from reducing the traditional four-year curriculum to three years according to educators at the New York University School of Medicine. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE Paying Doctors for Better Care Improves Quality - According to Reuters, on September 11, paying bonuses to doctors who work in small practices for the quality of care they provide leads to a modest increase in the number of patients who get the recommended treatment for their conditions, according to a new study. TO READ MORECLICK HERE

In the News- September 19, 2013

In the News

More Medical School Students Opting for Family Medicine Careers, Data Show - According to American Academy of Family Physicians, on September 4, the percentage of medical school graduates choosing family medicine residencies has jumped by nearly 10 percent during the past five years.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

SC Hospitals Gobble up Doctor Practices in Evolving Healthcare Environment - According to thestate.com, on September 3, hospitals are acquiring more physician practices as they prepare to move away from a fee-for-service reimbursement system that pays for services and treatments to one that focuses more on quality outcomes and containing costs. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE




How a Shortage of Doctors Here Can Hurt Health Care in the Developing World - According to Minnesota Public Radio News, The Daily Circuit, on August 30, foreign-trained physicians could help fill the growing shortage of doctors in the United States, but it can also cripple the health-care capabilities of poor countries. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

In the News- Sept. 11

In the News

Community Health Workers- A Local Solution to a Global Problem - According to the New England journal of Medicine, on September 5, ideally, patient care will take place not just in episodic encounters but also through continuous, community-based partnerships that include new entities and workers. Elsewhere in the world, such care has involved the use of community health workers (CHWs) — lay community members with focused health care training. We believe that scaling up the community health workforce in the United States could improve health outcomes, reduce health care costs, and create jobs.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE Program Seeks to Help Retired Docs Enter Primary Care - According to utsandiego.com, on September 3, a successful career in medicine is neither regularly scheduled nor part time, but a local surgeon hopes to deliver both to retired doctors who want to continue seeing patients a few days a week with none of the usual financial frustrations and time commitments attached.TO READ MORE CLICK HERE ‘Double Whammy’: Nursing Shortage Starts in the Classroom - According to nbcnews.com, on August 31, nurses may be the answer to some of the key health care and employment problems the US is struggling with right now. But just as the country needs nurses the most, a shortage of professors is curbing the capacity of nursing schools to crank out graduates with advanced degrees.TO READ MORECLICK HERE

In the News August 26, 2013

In the News

NPs, PAs Trending Away from Primary Care - According to medpagetoday.com, on August 16, a new study in American Family Physician finds an increase in sub-specialization among nurse practitioners and physician assistants. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE Hunting Season for Healthcare Worker - According to healthleadersmedia.com, on August 19, health care professionals are feeling more confident about their job prospects, making hiring more difficult for employers. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE Path to United States Practice Is Long Slog to Foreign Doctors - According to The New York Times, on August 12, thousands of foreign-trained immigrant physicians are living in the United States with lifesaving skills that are going unused because they stumbled over one of the many hurdles in the path toward becoming a licensed doctor here. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE