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As we welcome the arrival of spring, I’m excited to share the latest updates and achievements from the Sheps Center. This season brings a reminder of the role research can play in shaping a healthier future for all. In a time when the value of evidence and expertise can sometimes be overlooked, we remain committed to research that matters—work that informs policy, strengthens systems, and ultimately improves people’s lives.
This month, we’re proud to spotlight several of the countless examples of the value of health services research. Dr. Erin Fraher addressed the pressing issue of physician workforce shortages at the ACGME Conference, offering innovative solutions to a challenge with far-reaching implications. Our teams also published key findings on the transition to Medicaid Managed Care in North Carolina and the impact of Hurricane Helene on healthcare professionals—underscoring our mission to respond to real-world issues through rigorous, relevant research.
We also celebrate the spirit of giving with GiveUNC Day. Your support helps us continue to bring distinguished speakers to our community through the DeFriese Lecture fund. These lectures spark important conversations and inspire future leaders. This year, we were honored to host Dr. Deidra Crews for the 2024 DeFriese Lecture, where she shared powerful insights on advancing kidney health for all.
As we look ahead, we remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing health services research that makes a tangible difference. Your continued support and engagement are vital to our mission. Thank you for being a part of the Sheps Center community.
| | GiveUNC Day is here, and we need your support to make it a success. By donating to the Sheps Center, specifically the DeFriese Lecture fund, you can help us continue to bring distinguished speakers to our community, such as Dr. Deidra Crews who is featured below. These lectures spark important conversations and inspire future leaders. Your contribution, no matter the size, will make a significant impact. Join us in celebrating GiveUNC Day by supporting the Sheps Center. Together, we can make a difference! | | | | |
Erin Fraher Addresses Physician Workforce Shortage at ACGME Meeting
Dr. Erin Fraher, Co-Director of the Program on Health Workforce Research and Policy, participated in a plenary panel discussion at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s 2025 Annual Education Conference. In the panel, “Physician Workforce Shortage: How States Are Responding,” Dr. Fraher presented preliminary data from a study examining states’ motivations in bypassing the requirement for international medical graduates (IMGs) to complete a US residency. Pressing workforce shortages are motivating states to pursue these alternative pathways for IMGs.
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Renowned Nephrologist Speaks at 2024 DeFriese Lecture
The Gordon H. DeFriese Distinguished Lecture on Health Services Research and Health Policy took place on November 20, 2024, at the Carolina Club. This year's lecture was delivered by Dr. Deidra Crews, a renowned nephrologist from Johns Hopkins University.
The event was well-attended by faculty, staff, students, and the public, providing an excellent opportunity for networking and knowledge exchange among health services researchers. The lecture was followed by a reception, allowing attendees to engage in further discussions over light refreshments.
| | Dr. Gordon DeFriese and Dr. Deidra Crews | | Dr. Crews giving the keynote presentation | | |
Sheps Investigator Participates in Hurricane Helene Cleanup
Dr. Tyler Malone, a researcher with the Sheps Center and the North Carolina Rural Health Research Program, joined staff from UNC Rural in Marion for three days of emergency rapid recovery organized by the N.C. Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters group Baptists on Mission. They worked with other volunteers to remove waterlogged furniture, flooring and insulation from homes so that contractors could begin to restore them.
| | | “My objective is to improve public health for rural communities in North Carolina and beyond,” said Dr. Malone. “The volunteer opportunity in Marion represented a chance to actively help rural North Carolinians in need. One of my lasting memories of the experience was the appreciation expressed by the families we met; they were sincerely thankful for the volunteers.” | | NC's Medicaid Managed Care Transition Praised for Collaborative Success and Smooth Implementation | | | | The qualitative team of the NC Medicaid Waiver Evaluation project, led by Dr. Valerie Lewis, published a findings brief in December 2024. This brief presents insights from interviews with key stakeholders, including physician practices and health plans, on their experiences with prepaid health plans (PHPs) and their interactions with the state. It is part of a multi-year evaluation of North Carolina Medicaid’s transition from fee-for-service to Medicaid Managed Care under the 1115 demonstration waiver. | | The partnership between prepaid health plans (PHPs) and the state is notably cooperative, marked by open communication and regular meetings. This collaborative dynamic has built strong relationships and allowed for effective problem-solving. While being competitors, the North Carolina Association of Health Plans (NCAHP) facilitates some collaboration of plans to work more efficiently as a group with the state. While there remains a natural tension between plans wanting more flexibility and the state ensuring strong oversight, this collaborative approach has resulted in a smoother transition both to managed care and in implementation of Medicaid expansion starting in 2023. | | How Many Healthcare Professionals Work in NC Communities Impacted by Hurricane Helene? | | |
In a new blog, the Program on Health Workforce Research and Policy examined the healthcare workers located in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene in 2023 (28 disaster areas designated by FEMA) and provided an overview of regulatory waivers implemented by the state and licensure boards in response to the hurricane.
Key findings:
- Roughly 15% of healthcare professions within the NC Health Professions Data System (HPDS) (n=36,849) were employed in Hurricane Helene FEMA-designated disaster areas
- The top five professions with the greatest percent of their workforce in designated disaster areas included: physical therapy assistants (n=755, 25.2%), occupational therapy assistants (n=480, 22.8%), chiropractors (n=452, 20.4%), certified nurse midwives (73, 18.7%), and dental hygienists (n=1,187, 17.9%)
- Six of the 11 boards in the HPDS implemented regulatory waivers in response to state of emergency (SOE) declaration. Regulatory waivers vary by profession and include one or more provisions to allow healthcare professionals to reenter practice or to practice with modifications to normal regulatory restrictions during the declared SOE
| | News from the North Carolina Institute of Medicine | | | |
New Newsletter: The NCIOM recently launched a new newsletter entitled the NC Health Policy Forum. This twice-monthly newsletter is be packed with health policy analysis, original research, and interviews with local, state, and regional leaders. This new work of the NCIOM and North Carolina Medical Journal will serve as a valuable resource for North Carolina-based health care providers, policymakers, community organizations, researchers, business leaders, and health professions educators. Links to all of the newsletters are below.
02/05/2025 - NC Health Policy Forum: Opioids & Substance Use in North Carolina
01/22/2025 - NC Health Policy Forum: Helene Impact & Recover Part II
01/06/2025 - NC Health Policy Forum: Helene Impact & Recovery Part I
2025 Child Health Report Card: The North Carolina Child Health Report Card, published biannually by the North Carolina Institute of Medicine and NC Child, tracks key indicators of child health and well-being in four areas: 1) Healthy Births, 2) Access to Care, 3) Secure Homes & Neighborhoods, and 4) Health Risk Factors. The report provides data on such health concerns and risk factors as asthma, teen births, infant mortality, poverty, and child deaths. The 2025 Child Health Report Card will be published in April.
Essentials for Children Taskforce Update: Since 2013, the Division of Public Health, under the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, has been funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop and implement a public health framework for child maltreatment prevention. As a partner in this initiative, the NCIOM convened the Task Force on Essentials for Childhood in 2014 – 2015, which issued recommendations to stakeholders in four areas with the goal of ensuring safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments to strengthen families and prevent child maltreatment. In 2024, NCIOM convened state stakeholders to review progress on recommendations from the 2014 – 2015 task force and conducted a series of facilitated discussions and interviews with organizations named in the recommendations. The updated report is expected to be launched by April 1st.
Veteran’s Health Taskforce: With funding from the NC Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services and AARP NC, the NCIOM is starting a new task force on the topic of Veteran’s Health, specifically:
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Access to, and quality of community-based healthcare services for veterans (i.e. healthcare services outside of VA medical facilities)
- Access to, and quality of mental health and behavioral health care services for veterans
- Better preparing the healthcare workforce to serve veterans
| | UNC-BHWRC Expands Impact Through Key Collaborations and Research on Behavioral Health Workforce | | Sonyia Richardson, Lisa Zerden, and Brianna Lombardi | | |
The UNC-Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center continues to broaden its reach through collaboration with health workforce organizations and experts. In December 2024, Dr. Brianna Lombardi and Dr. Lisa de Saxe Zerden presented a talk titled "The Data Needed to Design Care Around Community Behavioral Health Needs" to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Dr. Zerden also presented to the SAMHSA Region 3 Behavioral Health Workforce Summit in February 2025 in a session titled, “Aligning Workforce Needs with State Regulation and Payment Opportunities.”
The Center continues to publish research manuscripts on the behavioral health workforce, including telemental health delivery in Federally Qualified Health Centers, retention of peer recovery support specialists, and the distribution of behavioral health providers in areas of deprivation.
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Freja Murphy
Primary Care Research Program
Freja is the Research Coordinator for the Heart to Heart: BP Control Partners study. She is responsible for participant recruitment, blood pressure measurements, data entry, and coordination with healthcare providers. Freja finds it rewarding to make a meaningful impact on patient health outcomes through meticulous data collection and compassionate support. She considers it a privilege to interact with and care for her patients, and finds it truly gratifying to witness the positive changes they can achieve together.
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Catherine Moore, PhD, MSN, RN
Program on Health Workforce Research and Policy
Dr. Moore is the Director of Sheps Health Workforce NC and the North Carolina Health Professions Data System. In her role, she leads state health workforce initiatives in the Program on Health Workforce Research and Policy and serves as the team’s point person for legislators, state officials, licensure boards, and other state policy makers.
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Juliana Jones
Sheps Integrated Research System (SIRS)
Juliana joined Sheps in early 2024 and is a Product Manager with the SIRS team. Some of the projects she is currently working on are Heart2Heart, Dementia Comfort, Go NAPSACC, and CAHMPAS. Prior to Sheps she worked in the corporate sector for 7 years, bringing experience and dynamic skills to SIRS. As a UNC alumna, she is excited to be back around fellow Tarheels and looks forward to contributing to our mission at Sheps! Outside of work, Juliana and her husband, Tim, have two boys, Evan and Ryan, who keep them very busy with sports.
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Mary Alice Scott
North Carolina Graduate Medical Education Technical Assistance Center
Mary Alice is Director of Graduate Medical Education Development for the North Carolina GME Technical Assistance Center and Senior Advisor for the Rural Residency Planning and Development Technical Assistance Center. In this role, she supports the development and sustainability of rural graduate medical education training in high-need specialties in North Carolina and nationally.
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March 26
State Graduate Medical Education (GME) Summit
12:00 - 4:00 pm EST
Zoom
Rural GME and teaching health center GME program leaders, technical assistance organizations, state office staff, policymakers, and other interested GME stakeholders will come together to share best practices and foster a collaborative understanding of how to optimize state GME funding and strategies to support rural and medically underserved communities across the U.S.
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April 15
2025 State of the Child Summit
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Raleigh Convention Center
Hosted by NC Child and the NCIOM, the State of the Child Summit will focus on the current state of children’s health and well-being in North Carolina, and engage parents, lawmakers, and leaders across communities, sectors, and organizations in discussions around policy solutions to ensure North Carolina’s children have the opportunity to reach their full potential.
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NPR speaks with Erin Fraher about recent state changes to the requirement that internationally trained physicians complete a US residency.
| | | | The article “Transitional Care of People with Dementia and Caregivers in the ADRD-PC Trial: A Mixed Methods Study”, published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, dives deep into the world of dementia care transitions. Co-authored by leading experts Mark Toles, Ellen Ozier, Laura Briell, Moriah Fender, and Laura Hanson, this pivotal study explores the perceived benefits, key facilitators, and significant barriers that shape transitional care for individuals with late-stage Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and their caregivers. The research, based on the ADRD-PC study, aims to revolutionize care models and deliver life-changing support to families navigating these challenging transitions. | | |
THE CECIL G. SHEPS CENTER
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Have feedback on this newsletter or suggested content for future newsletters? Contact Lindsay McCall.
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