Objectives: The Profiles provide an extensive collection of the most up-to-date data available on the health workforce in each of the 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, enabling users to access easily a wide array of data on the supply, demand, distribution and characteristics of over 30 health professions, as well as information on each state's population and health care infrastructure.

The original 51 HRSA State Health Workforce Profiles were officially unveiled to the public at the Health Resources and Services Administration's conference, "Health Workforce 2000: Building a Foundation for Health Care in the 21st Century." They have proven to be such an invaluable resource to the health care community that, less than two years later, HRSA contracted with the Center for Health Workforce Studies to update the Profiles. A Health Workforce Profile for Puerto Rico was completed in 2003 and one for the Virgin Islands is expected to be released by the end of 2004.

More up-to-date health workforce data may be available at the state level. For example, the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research annually updates the North Carolina Health Professions Data System for a number of health professions and is available on-line at http://www.shepscenter.unc.edu/hp/.

Program Dates: January 2001 - March 2004

Staff: Michael Dill*, Mark Dionne, Robert Martiniano, Maria Kouznetsova, Jean Moore, Christina Ortega*, Mary Beth Rowell*, Joseph Nolan*

Components: The Profile Updates were developed through secondary data analysis using a variety of sources to describe a state's health workforce, including the number, the demographic characteristics, the work settings, and the numbers educated within the state for 30 health professions. The Profile Updates also provide state-by-state comparisons across a host of indicators, including population characteristics, health status indicators as well as its supply of health professionals.

Reports/Presentations: Two page Profile summaries and more information about individual Profiles can be found on HRSA’s website: http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/reports/profiles/.

Sponsor: Bureau of Health Professions, HRSA

* Not currently on CHWS staff