La. Admin. Code tit. 48 § I-11901

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section I-11901 - Introduction

A. key component of any health care system is its manpower. Manpower planning is important because the status of health as well as the effectiveness of that system is heavily dependent upon both the quantity and quality of health professionals who provide health services. A shortage or maldistribution of health care professionals can lead to inaccessibility or inadequate health care for some of the system's consumers. A surplus of manpower supply in any one area can influence overutilization of health care services and result in a need for providers to increase their charges for services to compensate for shrinking patient caseloads. If the supply is adequate but it is not being used properly, then a problem of need is presented which is not reflective of actual need. Finally, an accurate picture of an area's health manpower status is essential for projecting future needs and identifying those areas where surpluses or shortages of health manpower will adversely affect an area's health status if left unchecked.

B. A discussion of health manpower includes four key dimensions:

1. Supply-This dimension deals with numbers. In short, "Is there enough manpower to serve the needs of the population?"

2. Distribution-This dimension deals with the location of the manpower supply. It attempts to answer the question, "Is the manpower located where it is most needed?"

3. Utilization-This dimension deals with the types of tasks that the manpower professionals perform and are trained to perform. It attempts to answer the question, "Are providers and consumers making the best use of the available manpower supply?"

4. Resource Renewal-This dimension deals with future need and supply. It attempts to answer the question, "How does the pattern of manpower supply meet the needs of the future population and health system configurations?"

C. For the purposes of this study, manpower supply will be addressed in four categories. The categories are physicians, dentists, nurses and allied health professionals. This division was chosen because available data is primarily limited to these classifications.

La. Admin. Code tit. 48, § I-11901

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Human Resources, Office of Management and Finance, LR 13:246 (April 1987).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with P.L. 93-641 amended by P. L. 96-79, and R.S. 36:256(b).