In year two of the Next Generation of the Healthcare Workforce project, states and territories sustained their efforts on healthcare workforce planning through individual team goals, regional dialogues, national conversations among project state and territory teams and subject matter experts, peer-to-peer engagement, connections with HRSA regional offices and expansion of their knowledge base related to various topical areas within the healthcare workforce.
The nation currently has more than 1,000 federally designated primary care shortage areas. More than 180 areas have had a primary care shortage for at least 40 years.
Policymakers have long tried to lure more primary care providers to the areas of the nation that have fewer than one physician for every 3,500 residents.