Joe Tabor
University of Arizona College of Public Health, USA
Title: Who Provides Primary Care in Arizona?
Biography
Biography: Joe Tabor
Abstract
Results from a community-level analysis of health providers show high spatial variability of the workforce data, greater susceptibility to data errors, and bias due to incorrect assumptions about the data.
Arizona has growing needs for primary care providers but information about the role and distribution is lacking. Primary care physicians, PAs, and NPs compared at zip code and county levels showed geographical maldistribution of professions that could influence the selection of preceptorship and residency training locations. County level comparisons between physician licensing board data and Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) data show a differential bias in magnitude and direction. State level comparisons underscore how a state such as Alaska can improve primary healthcare rankings by including physician assistants, nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives. Spatial analysis of healthcare workforce and points of services will better inform policy development by federal and state governments, educational and professional organizations, and the private sector.