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 | Susan Skillman, MS |
Biographical Information
Susan M. Skillman, MS, is the Deputy Director of the University of Washington Center for Health Workforce Studies and WWAMI Rural Health Research Center. She is a nationally recognized expert in health workforce research and policy, and has expertise in policy analysis, survey research (including many surveys of health care provides), and secondary use of large datasets for health services research. Recent studies directed by Ms. Skillman include an examination of the RN workforce in the rural U.S., Wyoming's health professions workforce, Washington's oral health workforce, and RN and LPN supply and demand in Washington State. She led a study that described the effects of the federal Workforce Investment Act on the nation's health workforce, and is currently directing a study that is assessing the extent to which community college allied health education programs are serving rural communities across the U.S. She was a member of the teams that assessed the economic impact of HRSA's Rural Health Care Services Outreach and Rural Health Network Development grant program, HRSA's rural RN-BSN distance education grant program, and was involved in various studies of the nation's rural oral health and primary care workforces. She is currently working on an evaluation of a technical assistance program for rural physician training tracks. At present, Ms. Skillman is Chair of the U.S. Delegation to the International Medical Workforce Collaborative, a member of the Advisory Board for the Washington State Center of Excellence in Allied Health, a member of the National Organization of Offices of State Rural Health's Health Workforce Committee, and is on the planning committee of the Health Workforce Interest Group of AcademyHealth (which she previously chaired). Prior to her current position, Ms. Skillman was a research project director at the University of Washington's Department of Health Services and worked as a research projects director and coordinator of research development at the Center for Health Studies at Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound. She received her bachelor's degree from Whitman College and a graduate degree from Washington State University.
Research Interests & Roles
Health workforce and rural health issues, including access to care for underserved populations and how to ensure adequate supply and distribution of needed medical, oral, mental and public health care providers.
Current Projects
Ms. Skillman's recent research topics include examinations of the RN workforce in the rural U.S.; Wyoming's health professions workforce; Washington's oral health workforce; and RN, LPN and advance practice nurse supply and demand in Washington State. She is currently directing a study that is assessing the extent to which community college allied health education programs are serving rural communities across the U.S.
Selected Publications
Peer-reviewed articles:
Skillman SM, Doescher MP, Mouradian WE, Brunson DK. 2010. The challenge to delivering oral health services in rural America. Journal of Public Health Dentistry 70(2010)S49-S57.
Skillman SM, Palazzo L, Hart LG, Keepnews D. 2010. The characteristics of registered nurses whose licenses expire: Why they leave nursing and implications for retention and re-entry. Journal of Nursing Economic$ 28(3)181-189.
Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Patterson DG, Tieman L, Doescher MP. 2010. The licensed practical nurse workforce in the USA: One state's experience. In Studies of the Health Workforce in the USA, Cahiers de Sociologie et de Demographie Medicales. 50(2):177-212).
Hart LG, Skillman SM, Hagopian A, Fordyce M, Thompson M, Konrad R. 2007. International medical graduate physicians in the U.S.: Changes since 1981. Health Affairs 26(4):1159-1169.
Benedetti TJ, Baldwin LM, Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Bowditch E, Carr KC, Myers SJ. 2006 Professional liability issues and practice patterns of obstetrical providers in Washington State. Obstetrics and Gynecology 107(6):1238-1246.
Hart LG, Skillman SM, Hagopian A, Fordyce M, Thompson M, Konrad R. 2006. International medical graduate (IMG) physicians in the U.S.: Changes since 1981. In National Health Workforce Assessment of the Past and Agenda for the Future: Proceedings of an International Symposium. Paris: Centre de Sociologie et de Demographie Medicales.
Skillman SM, Palazzo L, Keepnews D, Hart LG. 2006. Characteristics of registered nurses in rural vs. urban areas: implications for strategies to alleviate nursing shortages in the United States. J Rural Health 22(2):151-157.
Thompson M.J., Skillman S.M., Johnson K., Schneeweiss R., Hart L.G. 2001. Guam conference on structure and content of continuing clinical education programs in the U.S.-associated jurisdictions. Pac Health Dialog 9(1):119-122.
Perrin, E.B., J.S. Durch and S.M. Skillman, Ed.s. 1999. Health Performance Measurement in the Public Sector: Principles and Policies for Implementing an Information Network. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Reports:
Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Alves-Dunkerson JA, Comenduley M, Yi J, Doescher MP. Washington State's oral health workforce. Final Report #130. Seattle, WA: WWAMI Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington; Nov 2009.
Doescher MP, Fordyce MA, Skillman SM, Jackson JE, Rosenblatt RA. Policy brief: persistent primary care health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) and health care access in rural America. Seattle, WA: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center, University of Washington; Sep 2009.
Patterson DG, Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA. Data snapshots: Wyoming health care providers, 2009. Seattle, WA: WWAMI Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington; Sep-Oct 2009.
Patterson DG, Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Doescher MP. Workforce obstacles to providing high quality patient care in Wyoming. Final Report #131. Seattle, WA: WWAMI Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington. August, 2009.
Patterson DG, Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Doescher MP. Workforce Issues in Delivering Health Care to Elderly and Low Income Populations in Wyoming: Medical Providers' Acceptance of Medicaid and Medicare Patients. Final Report #128. Seattle, WA: WWAMI Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington. August, 2009.
Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Patterson DG, Thomas A, Tieman L. Washington State licensed practical nurse supply and demand projections: 2007-2026. Final Report #129. Seattle, WA: WWAMI Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington; Aug 2009.
Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Patterson DG, Thomas A, Tieman L. Washington State licensed practical nurse supply and demand projections: 2007-2026. Final Report #129. Seattle, WA: WWAMI Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington. August, 2009.
Doescher MP, Fordyce MA, Skillman SM. Policy brief: the aging of the primary care physician workforce: are rural locations vulnerable. Seattle, WA: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center, University of Washington; Jun 2009.
Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Kaplan L, Brown MA. Demographic, education, and practice characteristics of advanced registered nurse practitioners in Washington State: results of a 2008 survey. Final Report #124. Seattle, WA: WWAMI Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington; Apr 2009.
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center, University of Washington. Policy brief: the crisis in rural general surgery. Seattle, WA: Author; Apr 2009.
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center, University of Washington. Policy brief: threats to the future supply of rural registered nurses. Seattle, WA: Author; Apr 2009.
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center, University of Washington. Policy brief: the crisis in rural primary care. Seattle, WA: Author; Apr 2009.
Hart G, Skillman S, Bond E, Dall T. Evaluation of the Division of Nursing Demonstration Program: Expedited Baccalaureate Education for Rural Registered Nurses Using Distance Learning. Final Report. LGH Associated; Mar 2009.
Andrilla CHA, Skillman SM, Tieman L. Demographic, education, and practice characteristics of licensed practical nurses in Washington State: results of a 2007 survey. Final Report #123. Seattle, WA: WWAMI Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington; Jan 2009.
Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Doescher MP, Robinson BJ. Wyoming primary care gaps and policy options. Final Report #122. Seattle, WA: WWAMI Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington; Dec 2008.
Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Tieman L, Doescher MP. Demographic, education, and practice characteristics of registered nurses in Washington State: Results of a 2007 survey. Final Report #120. Seattle, WA: WWAMI Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington; June 2008.
Chapman SA, Lindler V, Kaiser JA, Nielsen CS, Bates T, Hailer-O'Keefe L, Skillman SM, Patterson DG, Dawson D, Wijetunge G. EMS Workforce Agenda for the Future. Washington DC: National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration. July 2008.
Skillman SM, Palazzo L, Hart LG, Butterfield P. Changes in the rural registered nurse workforce from 1980 to 2004. Final Report #115. Seattle, WA: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center, University of Washington; Oct 2007.
Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Hart LG. Washington State registered nurse supply and demand projections: 2006-2025. Final Report #112. Seattle, WA: WWAMI Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington; June 2007.
Skillman S.M., Sadow-Hasenberg J., Hart L.G., Henderson T. 2004 (November). The Effects of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 on Health Workforce Development in the States. http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/reports/wia/wia.htm.
