Policy Briefs
Arizona's Physician Shortage: Monitoring Rural Physician Retention and Relocation
June 2021 - Authors: D Gulick, B Brady, B Koch
Arizona has a shortage of primary care physicians and will require an additional 1,941 by 2030 due to population increases, higher rates of chronic disease, and aging. Physician supply is also unevenly distributed between rural and urban areas within the state, and these disparities are growing. This brief reviews indicators of physician workforce capacity and presents recommendations for accurately predicting future physician supply and demand to ensure Arizonans meet their healthcare needs in the future.
Information & Research about Overdose and Disease Prevention Programs
February 2020 - Authors: B Koch, B Brady, D Derksen, A Padilla
Many states have adopted evidence-based harm reductions programs to prevent and reduce substance use disorder and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. These programs can offer needed resources in areas where there is limited access to behavioral health care services. Suggested citation: Koch B, Brady B, Padilla A, and Derksen D. (2020). Information and Research about Overdose and Disease Prevention Programs. Arizona Center for Rural Health Policy Brief.
Improving Detection to Reduce Infection
April 2013 - Authors: Benjamin Brady
Many state and federal funding agencies mandate SSI Surveillance.The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) inpatient reporting program, for example, requires 30 day, post-discharge surveillance.9 For many hospitals, surveillance is an unavoidable cost. If done well, however, the cost of treating an SSI is an avoidable cost.
Factors affecting rural health outcomes include health insurance coverage, socioeconomics, ready access to primary, preventive and other health care services, providers, infrastructure, and technology. Each rural community has unique strengths, opportunities and challenges in terms of the health of its population.