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2015 National Health Center Clinical Workforce Survey: Vacancy, Recruitment, and RetentionSurvey Purpose and Goals:The last national assessment of health center clinical vacancies, recruitment, and retention challenges is more than 10years old. During that time period, health centers have grown to serve approximately 10 million additional patients, thelandscape of federal health workforce policy has shifted and come under greater scrutiny, and health centers’ clinicalstaffing needs and priorities have changed. In order to inform and pursue a federal workforce policy agenda designed tomaximize and optimize health center clinical capacity, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC)seeks to document and understand all health centers’ hiring priorities and current experiences with: current clinical vacancies;active recruitment of clinical staff;strategies for retention of clinical staff;federal programs that place eligible clinical staff in underserved areas; andhealth professions training.Your response to this survey is critical and will be directly used to estimate the number of patients potentially leftunserved due to current staff vacancies, as well as inform a NACHC policy strategy that will support all health centers inrecruiting and retaining clinical staff. This includes policies around federal programs that fund the placement or trainingof key clinical staff. Your responses will also be used to educate national and state partners and policymakers on healthcenters’ workforce needs.NACHC recognizes health centers’ workforce needs extend beyond clinical staff positions (e.g., enabling servicesproviders, information technology, financial officers, and administrative leaders). We will explore these needs in thenear future.Who Should Complete this Survey?All health centers should complete this survey regardless of whether or not they are experiencing any workforcevacancies or challenges in recruiting and retaining staff.This survey should be completed by the health center Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director or his/her designee.Reponses should reflect the needs and experiences of your 330-funded health center sites.How to Complete this SurveyPlease complete the survey online. To help you save time, we strongly encourage you to preview the questions usingthis document prior to submitting your answers online. The online survey may not automatically save incompleteresponses. If you need help accessing the online survey, please contact Caitlin Crowley at ccrowley@nachc.org.ConfidentialityNACHC will maintain the confidentiality of responses. Results from this survey will be published in such a way that youor your health center cannot be individually identified. This survey was reviewed by NACHC’s Research Collaborationand Survey Approval Workgroup. NACHC will share your individual response with your State/Regional Primary CareAssociation only if you grant permission in the last question of this survey.For More InformationIf you have questions, please contact Caitlin Crowley, NACHC Policy Research Analyst, at ccrowley@nachc.org or202.331.4617.1
SURVEY1. Please provide the following information about yourself (the person completing this survey) and your healthcenter:Name:Title:Email address:Phone number:Name of Health Center:City and State:Your health center’s UDS Number:How many years have you worked at this organization?2. Using the grid below, please answer the following questions for each clinical staff position:DisciplineGeneral/familyphysician (MD/DO)Internist (MD/DO)Pediatrician (MD/DO)Obstetrician/Gynecologist (MD/DO)Nurse Practitioner(primary care)Physician Assistant(primary care)Certified NurseMidwifeRegistered NurseLicensed PracticalNurse/LicensedVocational NurseMedical AssistantPsychiatristPsychologistLicensed Clinical SocialWorkerOther Licensed MentalHealth and/orSubstance Abuse StaffNon-Licensed MentalHealth and/orSubstance Abuse StaffDentistHow manyfull-timeequivalentemployees arecurrently inthis category(in FTEs)?How manyvacant fundedFTEs are youactivelyrecruiting for inthis category(in FTEs)?If you have afunded vacancy,how manymonths have youbeen activelyrecruiting for theposition that hasbeen vacantlongest?How difficult is it to fill a vacancy in this category at yourhealth center? (Please answer even if you haven’t had arecent DifficultNot Applicable (wehave never recruitedfor this 1234N/A1234N/A1234N/A2
DisciplineHow manyfull-timeequivalentemployees arecurrently inthis category(in FTEs)?How manyvacant fundedFTEs are youactivelyrecruiting for inthis category(in FTEs)?If you have afunded vacancy,how manymonths have youbeen activelyrecruiting for theposition that hasbeen vacantlongest?Dental HygienistVision Services Staff(ophthalmologist,optometrist, othervision staff)PharmacistOPTIONAL: Otherclinical staff members,please list:OPTIONAL: Otherclinical staff members,please list:OPTIONAL: Otherclinical staff members,please list:How difficult is it to fill a vacancy in this category at yourhealth center? (Please answer even if you haven’t had arecent DifficultNot Applicable (wehave never recruitedfor this A3. Among the clinical staff positions that you indicated are currently vacant at your health center, which would beyour highest priority to fill if funding and other recruitment or retention barriers were not constraints?4. For the position you listed above as your highest priority to fill, how much is each of these factors a problem inrecruiting that staff person? (We will ask you about factors related to retaining clinical staff in a later question.)Not an ImportantProblemImportant ProblemSalary that is competitiveBenefits package that is competitive11223344Health center’s current workload and/or call schedule1234Community amenities and other health center location factors(e.g., housing options, safety issues, transportation, schools,cultural activities, spousal employment opportunities)12341122334412341234Health center facility conditionHealth information technology capacityCandidates’ language proficiency skills and/or culturalcompetencyOther, please specify:3
5. For the position you listed above as your highest priority to fill, how much is each of these factors a problem inretaining that staff person?Not an ImportantProblemImportant ProblemSalary that is competitiveBenefits package that is competitive11223344Health center’s current workload and/or call schedule1234Community amenities and other health center location factors(e.g., housing options, safety issues, transportation, schools,cultural activities, spousal employment opportunities)12341122334412341234Health center facility conditionHealth information technology capacityCandidates’ language proficiency skills and/or culturalcompetencyOther, please specify:6. Some vacant positions may be existing positions, whereby employees leave the health center. In these cases,filling vacancies may be unlikely to bring in new, previously unserved patients. Other vacancies may be newlycreated and previously unfilled positions. Some of these new positions have the potential to bring in new,previously unserved patients. Examples include but may not be limited to physicians, nurse practitioners, andphysician assistants.6a. Among the clinical staff positions you indicated as currently vacant at your health center, are any ofthese vacancies newly created and previously unfilled positions?YesNo GO TO Q7a6b. About how many new, previously unserved patients would your health center have the capacity toserve over the next year if these vacancies were filled today? If none, please write “0”.7a. Do you currently have any vacancies listed with the National Health Services Corps (NHSC)?Yes Go to Q8NoDo not know GO TO Q87b. Why does your health center not currently have vacancies listed with the NHSC? Please check allthat apply.Unaware of NHSC vacancy list or NHSC clinical workforce placement opportunitiesDid not think our health center was eligible for NHSC Did not think our Health ProfessionShortage Area (HPSA) score was high enough to bring a NHSC clinician to our health centerMore reliant on other recruitment and retention programs for clinical care providersMissed the NHSC site designation application deadline4
Technical difficulties in listing positionsPast experience of listing vacancies with NHSC but not receiving applicantsPrevious negative experiences with NHSC clinician(s)Did not think we would retain the NHSC clinician(s)Other, please specify:8. Are any of your current clinical staff currently involved in, or alumnus of, the following programs? Please checkall provider types that apply for each program listed.8a. Current NHSC Scholarship (check all that apply)Physician (excluding Psychiatrist)Nurse Practitioner (primary care)Physician Assistant (primary care)Certified Nurse MidwifeMental Health/Substance Abuse Staff (including Psychiatrist)DentistNoneI don’t knowOther clinical staff member (please specify):8b. Alumnus of NHSC Scholarship (check all that apply)Physician (excluding Psychiatrist)Nurse Practitioner (primary care)Physician Assistant (primary care)Certified Nurse MidwifeMental Health/Substance Abuse Staff (including Psychiatrist)DentistNoneI don’t knowOther clinical staff member (please specify):8c. Current NHSC Federal Loan Repayment (check all that apply)Physician (excluding Psychiatrist)Nurse Practitioner (primary care)Physician Assistant (primary care)Certified Nurse MidwifeMental Health/Substance Abuse Staff (including Psychiatrist)DentistNoneI don’t knowOther clinical staff member (please specify):8d. Alumnus of NHSC Federal Loan Repayment (check all that apply)Physician (excluding Psychiatrist)Nurse Practitioner (primary care)Physician Assistant (primary care)5
Certified Nurse MidwifeMental Health/Substance Abuse Staff (including Psychiatrist)DentistNoneI don’t knowOther clinical staff member (please specify):8e. Current NURSE Corps Scholarship (check all that apply)Nurse Practitioner (primary care)Certified Nurse MidwifeRegistered NurseLicensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational NurseNoneI don’t knowOther clinical staff member (please specify):8f. Alumnus of NURSE Corps Scholarship (check all that apply)Nurse Practitioner (primary care)Certified Nurse MidwifeRegistered NurseLicensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational NurseNoneI don’t knowOther clinical staff member (please specify):8g. Current NURSE Corps Federal Loan Repayment (check all that apply)Nurse Practitioner (primary care)Certified Nurse MidwifeRegistered NurseLicensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational NurseNoneI don’t knowOther clinical staff member (please specify):8h. Alumnus of NURSE Corps Federal Loan Repayment (check all that apply)Nurse Practitioner (primary care)Certified Nurse MidwifeRegistered NurseLicensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational NurseNoneI don’t knowOther clinical staff member (please specify):8i. Current State Loan Repayment (check all that apply)Physician (excluding Psychiatrist)Nurse Practitioner (primary care)6
Physician Assistant (primary care)Certified Nurse MidwifeRegistered NurseLicensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational NurseMental Health/Substance Abuse Staff (including Psychiatrist)DentistDental HygienistVision Services Staff (ophthalmologist, optometrist, other vision staff)PharmacistNoneI don’t knowOther clinical staff member (please specify):8j. Alumnus of State Loan Repayment (check all that apply)Physician (excluding Psychiatrist)Nurse Practitioner (primary care)Physician Assistant (primary care)Certified Nurse MidwifeRegistered NurseLicensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational NurseMental Health/Substance Abuse Staff (including Psychiatrist)DentistDental HygienistVision Services Staff (ophthalmologist, optometrist, other vision staff)PharmacistNoneI don’t knowOther clinical staff member (please specify):8k. Current State Loan Repayment (check all that apply)Physician (primary care)PsychiatristNoneI don’t know8l. Alumnus of J-1 Visa Waiver (check all that apply)Physician (primary care)PsychiatristNoneI don’t know9. OPTIONAL: Are there other health professions recruitment and placement programs in which any of your clinicalstaff members currently or previously participated? If so, which ones? (open ended)7
10a. When clinical staff leave your health center for employment elsewhere, how often do they go to the following?NeverRarelyOccasionallyFrequentlyDo NotKnowAnother health center/FQHCClosed group integrated care modelOther integrated care systemPrivate primary care practiceHospitalRural Health Clinic10b. OPTIONAL: Other places of employment for which clinical staff frequently leave your center (pleasespecify).11. How often do you hire clinical staff members who have worked in or trained in other Federally Qualified HealthCenter settings?FrequentlyOccasionallyRarelyNeverDo Not Know12. Does your health center participate in health professions training for any of the following?Clinical care students still attending school for any discipline GO TO Q13, THEN Q15Primary care residents (Includes MD/DO, NP, PA, Pharmacy) GO TO Q14Students and Residents (Includes NP, PA, Pharmacy) GO TO Q14Neither students nor residents GO TO Q13, THEN Q1513. Why does your health center not participate in primary care residency programs? Check all that apply.Budgetary constraints or inadequate fundingConcern about lost productivity of health center’s staff due to teachingLack of spaceDistraction from health center’s service mission (e.g. prefer to focus on direct care)Continuity of patient care in light of resident turnoverPatients’ perceptions of residentsLack of formal relationships with area medical schools and/or teaching hospitalsLack of knowledge in how to set up a health professions training programComplexity of setting up residency programMisalignment of university and health center missions and/or approaches to careOther, please specify:8
14a. Which types of primary care residents trained at your health center during the last full academicyear? Check all that apply.Family medicineInternal medicinePediatricsInternal medicine-pediatricsObstetrics and gynecologyPsychiatryGeneral dentistryPediatric dentistryGeriatricsNurse PractitionerPhysician AssistantPharmacyDo not knowOther, please specify:14b. Which organization holds the accreditation for any residency program in which your health centerparticipates? Check all that apply.Health centerConsortiaHospital/schoolOther, please specify:15. In the past two years, has your health center hired any of the following as a clinical staff member at your center?Check all that apply.A health professional, including student, resident, or other post-graduate who trained at yourFederally Qualified Health Center (this exclude “on the job” training)A health professional, including student, resident, or other post-graduate who trained at anotherFederally Qualified Health Center (this exclude “on the job” training)A veteranFormer Community HealthCorps/AmeriCorps/VISTA volunteerPeaceCorps volunteerCurrent or former patientNone of the aboveDo not know16. May NACHC share your individual and identifiable survey responses with your state/regional Primary CareAssociation to inform their workforce development activities?YesNo9
This survey was reviewed by NACHC’s Research Collaboration and Survey Approval Workgroup. NACHC will share your individual response with your State/Regional Primary Care Association only if you grant permission in the last question of this survey. For More Information If you have questions, please c
