While many health professions labor markets are local, most policy levers affecting the training and deployment of health professionals can be applied at the state, regional, and national levels. Analysis of basic health workforce data is essential to plan for educational programs, shape regulatory policies, identify shortage areas, forecast employment needs, and justify funding requests. Health workforce data analysis can also be used to evaluate the impact that policy decisions have on the health workforce. Reform that focuses on mental health or Medicaid, or changes in medical or dental school admissions policies often rely on health workforce data analysis for support. Robust information about the current health workforce is necessary to evaluate existing programs and to plan for future needs.
CHWS operates 2 of 9 federally-funded health workforce research centers (HWRCs) in the US, dedicated to providing data and information to inform decision making. Below are the HWRCs sponsored by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) that conduct health workforce research:
- CHWS at the University at Albany
- George Washington University’s Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity
- GW Health Workforce Research Center
- Health Workforce Research Center on Long-term Care at University of California, San Francisco
- UCSF Health Workforce Research Center on Long-Term Care
- University of Minnesotta
- Public Health Workforce Research Center
- University of North Carolina’s Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
- University of Washington’s Center for Health Workforce Studies
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