This document summarizes the findings of a VA Rural Health Summit on rural health workforce issues. It discusses recommendations from the Health Workforce Council, including establishing a rural health workforce council, providing retention incentives for rural providers, and exploring alternative training models for rural areas. It outlines the council's 2010-2011 work plan to engage academic centers in improving the rural workforce and to assess programs integrating primary care and behavioral health education. The document reports on preliminary findings from a survey of academic health programs on topics like rural recruitment, multidisciplinary training, and barriers to educating rural providers. It concludes with next steps to finalize the survey analysis, develop recommendations, and continue providing input on rural workforce issues.

1. VA Rural Health SummitHealth Workforce Council ReportApril 6, 2011JANET McDaniel, Chair

2. Health Workforce RecommendationsEstablish VA Rural Health Workforce CouncilProvide retention incentives for providers to remain in rural communitiesExplore health care training models and alternatives for rural areasMore aggressively engage the VA Community College system

3. Health Workforce RecommendationsIncrease communication among training programsEngage academic centers in strategies to improve workforce in rural areasResearch dual certification programsDevelop/support educational opportunities for integrating primary care with behavioral health

4. 2010-2011 Work PlanRecommendation—Engage academic centers in strategies to improve workforce in rural areasObjective—Assess current academic programs for educating rural workforce

5. 2010-2011 Work PlanRecommendation--Develop/support educational opportunities for integrating primary care with behavioral healthObjective—Assess current academic programs for integration of primary care and behavioral health education

6. Assess current academic programs for educating rural workforce--StrategiesLiterature review-Training models/best practices

7. Survey academic programs:

8. Rural recruitment and rotations

9. Multidisciplinary training

10. Patient-centered medical homes

11. Integrating behavioral health & primary care

12. Barriers & efforts to overcome barriers

13. Policy changes neededSurvey of Academic Health and Medical Programs—Preliminary FindingsMethods—Sample—Surveys mailed to 111 programs6 Medical Schools (5 in VA, 1 in TN)

14. 8 NP

15. 4 PA

16. 16 Nursing--University

17. 20 Nursing-- Community Colleges

18. 4 Pharmacy

19. 7 Public Health

20. 12 Residency programs