Geospatial Mapping Tool Seeks to Improve Care Access
The American Medical Association has launched an interactive geospatial mapping tool designed to identify the geographic location of physicians and non-physician clinicians by specialty, state, county, or metropolitan areas, among other healthcare workforce trends.
The American Medical Association has launched an interactive geospatial mapping tool designed to identify the geographic location of physicians and non-physician clinicians by specialty, state, county, or metropolitan areas, among other healthcare workforce trends.
The goal of AMAs Health Workforce Mapper is to help providers pinpoint underserved patient care areas and to respond accordingly. In addition, the tool can be used by new physicians in closing the gap in patient access to care by enabling residents and medical students to view where shortages exist in certain medical specialties.
"This unique new mapping tool gives physicians and other healthcare providers unprecedented information using reliable AMA data and other sources to see exactly where healthcare services are needed most," said Robert Wah, M.D., AMAs president, in a written statement. "Providers can use this information to help them make the best decisions on where to locate or expand their practices to reach patients in greatest need of access to care."
Users of the tool can layer geographic and health policy data such as hospital locations or health professional shortage areas, population indicators, landmarks and other topographical features. The AMA Health Workforce Mapper can also display the ratio of physician or non-physician clinician to population in any given region or nationally.
A full version of the new tool is available to AMA members free of charge on the associations website (login required). A limited version displaying only non-physician data is available to non-members.
The goal of AMAs Health Workforce Mapper is to help providers pinpoint underserved patient care areas and to respond accordingly. In addition, the tool can be used by new physicians in closing the gap in patient access to care by enabling residents and medical students to view where shortages exist in certain medical specialties.
"This unique new mapping tool gives physicians and other healthcare providers unprecedented information using reliable AMA data and other sources to see exactly where healthcare services are needed most," said Robert Wah, M.D., AMAs president, in a written statement. "Providers can use this information to help them make the best decisions on where to locate or expand their practices to reach patients in greatest need of access to care."
Users of the tool can layer geographic and health policy data such as hospital locations or health professional shortage areas, population indicators, landmarks and other topographical features. The AMA Health Workforce Mapper can also display the ratio of physician or non-physician clinician to population in any given region or nationally.
A full version of the new tool is available to AMA members free of charge on the associations website (login required). A limited version displaying only non-physician data is available to non-members.