Task Force for Primary Care Provider Workforce Development Addresses Access Crisis

The Task Force for Primary Care Provider Workforce Development met in August. Since March, a consensus of recommendations has been developed to address the looming crisis of a declining primary care workforce. Research indicates that RI will have a deficit of 100 primary care providers by 2030, while the state’s population continues to rise. Task Force recommendations focus on strategies that can make primary care practice more attractive to students in medical, nurse practitioner and physician assistant programs. The Task Force, (including all RI state colleges and universities that train physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants), has been gathering and reviewing data on the adequacy of clinical training sites for students in RI and exploring ideas for building a more robust training program for primary care providers that includes innovative team-based care models. Other recommendations include strengthening loan repayment and tuition reimbursement programs, equitable pay for primary care providers, reducing provider burnout, and strategies that encourage providers to spend their career in RI. The Task Force plans to release a strategic plan by the end of the year. In the interim, the group is making recommendations to our co-conveners (OHIC and Medicaid) in anticipation of the Governor’s budget and will be working to educate legislators on the value of primary care, the current access crisis, and needs for population health.