142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

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Take II - Factors related to recruitment and retention of primary care physicians at community health centers post Massachusetts health care reform: Results from a 2013 and 2008 statewide physician survey

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 : 12:50 PM - 1:10 PM

Judith Savageau, MPH , Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA
Linda Cragin, MS , Center for Health Policy and Research, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Shrewsbury, MA
Joan Pernice, RN, MS , Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, Boston, MA
Warren Ferguson, MD , Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA
Leslie Bailey, MS , Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, Boston, MA
Laura Sefton, BA , Center for Health Policy and Research, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Shrewsbury, MA
Background: In 2008 and 2013, the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers surveyed community health center (CHC) primary care physicians (PCPs) to characterize the workforce, identify factors related to preparedness, recruitment and retention, and correlate satisfaction with organizational improvement efforts. The survey was repeated to determine the impact of Massachusetts health care reform including patient-centered medical home transformation processes.

Methods: 677 PCPs at 46 CHCs were invited to complete a 30-question on-line survey. New questions in 2013 addressed patient-centered practice redesign, language competencies, and interprofessional care.

Results: With 48% responding (58% in 2008), PCPs were predominantly female, white, non-Hispanic, working full-time, speaking at least 1 additional non-English language, and averaging 15 years in practice. 17% were foreign-trained and 46% received loan repayment. In 2013, more PCPs were part-time, female and racially/ethnically/linguistically diverse, and were significantly more likely to report being prepared to practice in a CHC, and work with underserved populations and with limited English-proficient populations. Regression analyses will present adjusted models of the likelihood of PCPs continuing to work in CHCs.

Conclusions: With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act modeled, in part, after Massachusetts’ own experience, outcomes from 2008 and 2013 are illustrative of opportunities to better prepare medical students and residents for CHC careers and recruit and retain this vital workforce. Addressing compensation is only one strategy; equally important is addressing PCP-identified priorities to help retain the 63% of PCPs reporting plans to remain in the CHC setting and the 18% that are currently undecided about their future.

Learning Areas:

Administration, management, leadership
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Provision of health care to the public

Learning Objectives:
Describe primary care physicians’ priorities relevant to recruitment and retention in the community health center setting. Differentiate changes in physician sociodemographic and practice characteristics in light of health care reform implementation. Discuss the impact of the survey’s findings for preparation for primary care practice, especially for those interested in serving vulnerable populations.

Keyword(s): Community Health Centers, Workforce Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a key contributor to this longitudinal project working with our state partners to better understand the multiple and varied factors related to the recruitment and retention of primary care providers at community health centers throughout the state.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.