Improving collection and use of interprofessional health workforce data: Progress and peril

BackgroundPolicymakers and other stakeholders need robust data to understand how health care system changes affect the health care workforce and the care it provides, evaluate the effectiveness of health care finance and delivery innovations, and build an adequate supply of nurses and other health professionals to care for an aging and diverse population of patients. In 2011, the Institute of Medicine released a report that called for the creation of an infrastructure to collect and analyze interprofessional health workforce data and issued specific recommendations to reach that overarching goal.PurposeThis paper examines progress toward each of the main data-related recommendations of the Institute of Medicine Committee on the Future of Nursing, and identifies strategies that can achieve further gains in health workforce data collection.MethodsMultiple documents and websites were reviewed to identify the extent to which each of the Institute of Medicine's recommendations have been implemented.DiscussionThere has been little progress toward the Institute of Medicine recommendations regarding data collection, with a few exceptions related to improvements in national data on ambulatory care. This can largely be attributed to a lack of funding.ConclusionAlthough there are active and strong collaborative relationships across many key stakeholders, there have not been sufficient resources dedicated to ensuring that new programs advance. More leadership, advocacy, and resources will be needed to build the robust data infrastructure called for by the Institute of Medicine.