Nursing, the largest profession in California, faces expanding responsibilities for care and an aging workforce. This Almanac snapshot examines nurse supply, education, and demographics.

This issue brief provides both an overview of workforce innovation initiatives in California and elsewhere and an in-depth look at the California Health Workforce Pilot Project, which offers the opportunity to safely assess new approaches to care delivery.

To provide some specialty services onsite, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in California must comply with federal scope-of-project and reimbursement regulations. This paper explains the rules and provides practical guidelines for meeting them.

This report presents the first comprehensive study of the Medical Board of California survey data on practicing physicians in the state. It finds fewer M.D.s than previously estimated, and that specialists outnumber primary care physicians by a 2-to-1 ratio.

To improve access and reduce wait times for specialty services, many specialty practices have incorporated physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) into their health care. This report highlights six models that have been financially sustainable.

Californians who depend for their health care on safety-net institutions often have difficulty getting access to specialty care. This report examines the size and causes of the problem and looks at efforts to create solutions.

This report discusses the technologies, regulatory trends, and market forces that are reshaping the way health care is delivered, and what the shift means for stakeholders. It also presents key questions for further discussion and research.

This issue brief examines California's establishment of minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. It finds that while hospitals increased their use of nurses with the highest skills, the regulation has not resulted in a clear improvement in the quality of patient care.

These publications highlight models for reviewing and modifying state medical scope-of-practice laws, as well as the feasibility of addressing the shortage of health workers in California by drawing upon former military personnel.

This issue brief surveys scope of practice laws for nurse practitioners and examines how they might be altered to help alleviate physician shortages and rising health care costs in California.