Primary Submission Category: Health care/services
Health Workforce Retention and Economic Impact
Authors: Wanderimam Tuktur Isra Shad Rexford Anson-Dwamena
Presenting Author: Wanderimam Tuktur*
Method
We identified all J-1 visa waiver physicians assigned to employers in Virginia between 2014 and 2017 and tracked them through public databases to their current locations. The Physicians were divided into 3 cohorts to determine retention per year in underserved locations. By utilizing the input-output IMPLAN modelling system, the economic impact of the loss in Physician employment on local and regional economies will be estimated.
Results
All 3 Cohorts (2014-2017) of index study, amounted to 82 Physicians. Out of the 82 Physicians,36 moved out of Virginia (43.90%), and the average number of months they remained with their J-1 waiver employer after their obligation ended and before leaving Virginia was 26.91months. Conversely, of the 46 Physicians that remained in Virginia, 14 Physicians (30.43%) originally served rural populations (10 remained rural and 4 moved urban at the end of obligation). Of the 32 urban Physicians, 31 remained urban and 1 moved rural.
Discussion
Losing the physicians supported by the CONRAD funding in Virginia (many of whom practice in underserved areas facing economic and financial challenges) would worsen health inequities, which will arise from reduced availability of healthcare services in such underserved areas, distorted distribution of providers across geography and specialty, negative impact on local economic activity and attendant detrimental potential impact on local economies. By utilizing the input-output IMPLAN modelling system, the economic impact of loss in Physician employment on local and regional economies will be estimated. For example, a 2016 data analysis for Virginia reported that the economic impact of losing funded providers could result in over $443,000 in lost state and local tax revenue from the impacted areas in Virginia.
Conclusions
In Virginia State, the Conrad Program has increased the number of physicians in underserved areas who frequently stay beyond their obligations. However, the economic impact of the loss in Physician employment on local and regional economies sequel to significant movement away from rural areas for post-obligation employment, highlights the long-term need to continue state efforts for retention of Physicians in such underserved areas.