History and Mission
The Center for Health Workforce Studies at University of Washington (UW CHWS) was established in 1998 with funding from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). It is based in the Research Section of the Department of Family Medicine, part of the University of Washington School of Medicine.
UW CHWS houses multiple research programs spanning the health and health care system. We examine a broad range of settings and occupations including those in rural and urban locations. We conduct research at the state, regional, and national levels.
Our mission is to elevate the importance of workers of the health workforce in policy discussions. To accomplish our mission, UW CHWS:
- Conducts health workforce research to inform health workforce planning and policy.
- Provides consultation to local, state, regional and national policy makers on health workforce issues.
- Develops and refines analytical methods to support health workforce planning.
Our portfolio of research includes two of nine Health Workforce Research Centers (HWRCs) across the U.S. funded by the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis at HRSA. Each HWRC focuses on a specific aspect of the health workforce. UW’s HWRCs are addressing 1) the allied health workforce and 2) health equity and health workforce diversity.
We also support health workforce planning and policy through research projects examining topics of interest to states. Washington state health workforce issues are addressed through the Health Workforce Sentinel Network that identifies changing employer demand for healthcare workers, and through many other projects such as the Washington Oral Health Workforce data tracking program and an examination of Washington’s anesthesia workforce. In addition, UW CHWS has conducted research addressing the health workforce across multiple states, including Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Maine, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, and Wyoming.
We engage with faculty, students, residents, fellows, health professionals and other researchers across the university. Other examples of research collaborators include health professional organizations, state agencies, and other research institutions.
The UW CHWS is responsible for the findings resulting from research conducted through the Center. Contents of UW CHWS research products are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, funding sources.