MN Rural Healthcare Workforce

Problem and Need for this Work

Rural communities in Minnesota and across the United States face health workforce shortages which can negatively impact health outcomes, with the experiences of rural health professionals, and the economic vitality of their regions. To address these shortages and promote rural health, our team aims to understand what motivates health professionals to work in rural areas and how we might partner with rural health systems to design interventions. This includes understanding how educational programs and institutions impact their learners’ decisions about where to practice as well as what resource gaps may exist that lead to professionals leaving practice locations.

Innovation and Impact

Our partnership to improve the rural healthcare workforce in Minnesota has three steps:

• Develop a sustainable method for ongoing collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Health regarding applicable health workforce data;
• Use this partnership to explore key questions regarding training, recruitment, and retention of rural health care professionals in Minnesota and beyond;
• Alongside health systems and the MDH, establish an infrastructure and longitudinal approach to measuring the effectiveness and effect of interventions aimed at improving rural health care workforce

Our team uses quantitative methods to analyze Minnesota Department of Health survey data and other medical claims data to answer questions about what leads health professionals to work in rural areas, and what are the pros and cons of rural practice. We also use qualitative methods such as interviews and focus groups to understand the nuance of these decisions/experiences.