Patients Receive Flexible And Accessible Care When State Workforce Barriers Are Removed

Abstract

In response to COVID-19, many states increased their supply of health care workers, using emergency policies to remove barriers such as state licensure requirements. The experience in New Jersey suggests that most health care workers who obtained a temporary license, including physicians, nurses, and mental health providers, provided care for existing patients for COVID-19- and non-COVID-19-related conditions, mostly through telehealth. State variation in licensure requirements, as well as scope of practice, may be a barrier to patients having flexible, accessible, and continuous care. As states emerge from the pandemic, emergency policies that expand health workforce supply by removing these state-level barriers should be made permanent.

Authors:

Frogner BK

Journal/Publisher:

Heath Affairs

Edition:

Aug 2022. 41(8):1139-1141

Link to Article

Access the article here: Heath Affairs

Citation:

Frogner BK. Patients receive flexible and accessible care when state workforce barriers are removed. Health Aff (Millwood). 2022;41(8):1139-1141. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00759