This report seeks to identify the data and research methods needed to promote more effective public and private decision making related to education, distribution and use of the health workforce to support access to quality care.

Background: 

Key Findings:

• A lack of up-to-date, core data on a range of various health professions impedes analysis of the supply, demand, and distribution of the health care workforce across health professions and settings.
• Improved quality and comparability of data requires standardized collection methods and identifiers among the many public and private organizations that already collect data.
• There is no surveillance system that provides regular and frequent data (e.g., every 6-12 months) on shortages and surpluses by region that could provide early warnings of changes in the marketplace.
• There are important gaps in evidence around how payment systems affect workforce configurations, demand for providers, and the impact of workforce patterns on access, cost, and quality of care.