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The Mullan Institute is committed to building the research and policy base for more effective and accountable governance of the health workforce. Our central focus is federal and international health workforce issues, in particular the quality of workforce data, and the effectiveness of public and private policies that determine health care education and delivery system practices. These topics include questions about interdisciplinary team composition and roles; the impact of new technologies on the organization of work; the use of provider incentives as a strategy for modifying professional practice; the cost effectiveness of different graduate education models; and the social and geographic inequities in the distribution of the health workforce.
Core Research Projects
The Mullan Institute has a core set of projects and programs that carry common themes, such as, health equity, diversity, social determinants of health, and professional education.
HEALTH WORKFORCE DIVERSITY INITIATIVE
Disparities and inequities within the U.S. health system have existed for decades with poorer health outcomes and shorter life expectancies well-documented among Black, Latinx, and Native American people. The Health Workforce Diversity Initiative monitors progress (or lack thereof) toward the goal of greater racial and ethnic parity in the health workforce. LEARN MORE...
health workforce research centers
The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Health Workforce Research Center (HWRC) Cooperative Agreement Program funds eight research centers and one technical assistance center to provide timely and topical health workforce research to strengthen the public’s understanding of health workforce and inform health workforce policy discussions at the national, state, and local levels.
The Mullan Institute at George Washington University is home to a center focused on emerging health workforce issues (Emerging Topic Center). We previously housed one focused on equity in health workforce education and training (Equity Center). LEARN MORE...
The Mullan Institute at George Washington University is home to a center focused on emerging health workforce issues (Emerging Topic Center). We previously housed one focused on equity in health workforce education and training (Equity Center). LEARN MORE...
Professional Association Studies
The Mullan Institute contracts with health professions associations to conduct research on specific issues of concern to their membership. To date, studies have been conducted in the areas of social work, hematology, psychology, osteopathic medicine, emergency medicine and palliative care.
social mission metrics initiative
The Social Mission Metrics Initiative centers around the creation and use of metrics to measure social mission in dental, medical, and nursing schools across the United States. By providing school leaders with a tool to objectively assess the status of social mission at their school, the Initiative aims to advance the field of Social Mission measurement and enhance the national conversation around Social Mission in health professions education. LEARN MORE...
Additional Research Projects
covid-19 webinars
The Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity developed a pre-recorded mini webinar series to examine Emergency Workforce Policies to Address COVID-19. One of the greatest risks of COVID-19 is that inadequate PPE and understaffing of frontline health workers will lead to severe fatigue and low morale, which, in turn, will further exacerbate attrition. This webinar focused on actions to avoid entering a vicious cycle of staffing shortages. WATCH NOW...
advancing the HOME care workforce
This study assesses the national landscape of existing strategies and interventions that seek to facilitate the advancement of roles of the home care workforce [personal care aides (PCA) and home health aides (HCA)] who serve the elderly population, as a means for improving both worker and patient outcomes. LEARN MORE...
Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Practitioner Data
This multi-year study addresses data challenges by using both traditional and novel data sources to build a comprehensive database that will allow SAMHSA to better understand the available supply and practice location of prescribers, counselors, and peer specialists in relation to an innovative mapping of population need for behavioral health services.
moral injury among nurses
Our aim is to conduct a research study that will inform policies and programs that seek to improve the working conditions of nurses. We are doing this by collecting and analyzing stories from nurses at all levels (bedside, executive level, teaching, etc.) and a variety of settings. LEARN MORE...
reproductive health Services Workforce in the United States
For the purposes of this study, we adopted a narrow definition of the sexual and reproductive health workforce, limiting it to personnel that are involved in the provision of abortion and/or contraception services. Our central question is what proportion of OB/GYNs, Family Physicians, Internists, Pediatricians, NPs, PAs, CNMs, Counselors, nurses, and support staff, are active in the provision of abortion and/or contraception services? The long-term aim is to begin to understand who is doing what, not to simply count the totals in each professional category as most workforce estimates have done in the past. LEARN MORE...