2018 Annual Impact Report

Abstract

The health workforce is the foundational element of health care delivery, contributing to priorities such as quality and spending. Health care delivery system reforms cannot succeed without attention to this workforce. The mission of the Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy (Bowen Center) is to improve population health by contributing to informed health workforce policy through data management, community engagement, and original research. To achieve this mission, the Bowen Center has partnered with the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), and the Department of Workforce Development (DWD).

Dissemination of high quality health workforce information is a primary mechanism for promoting health policy discussion among health care leaders in Indiana. The Bowen Center is charged with leveraging health workforce data to conduct needs assessments, workforce evaluations and develop data visualization tools. The center also regularly provides technical assistance to stakeholders throughout Indiana and across the country who submit requests for data collection, analysis and assistance with federal health professional shortage designations. Such efforts aim to inform the work of educators, health care administrators and policymakers.

In order to support the translation of data and research into action, the Bowen Center is committed to providing a forum for stakeholders that supports information sharing, idea generation, and consensus building, and serves as a platform for collaboration with policy makers and community leaders. The center currently provides administrative support and technical assistance to the Governor’s Health Workforce Council, which aims to coordinate initiatives, policies and programs related to the health workforce. This council, led by DWD, provides a forum for research, in-depth discussions and collaborative work that impact health workforce policy and, ultimately, improves population health.