S. 3038: Health Care Workforce Real-Time Data Dashboard Act

This bill, titled the **Health Care Workforce Real-Time Data Dashboard Act**, aims to establish a real-time data dashboard specifically focused on graduate medical education (GME) training positions. The primary goal is to better plan and distribute the healthcare workforce, particularly to address physician shortages in areas that are medically underserved, such as rural communities.

Key Provisions

• Real-Time Dashboard Development: The Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, will develop and maintain a dashboard that provides up-to-date information on residency programs and training positions.
• Information to Include: The dashboard will feature several components, including:
  • Current statistics on residency applications, including total applications received, geographic distribution of applicants, and the number of interviews conducted.
  • Aggregate data on applicant characteristics to support workforce planning, while ensuring privacy by excluding personally identifiable information.
  • Fulfillment rates of residency positions categorized by specialty and region.
  • Completion rates of training programs and patterns in where graduates practice.
  • Analysis of physician placement trends, especially in rural and underserved communities.
• Collaboration with Other Agencies: The Secretary will work with other federal agencies, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs, to ensure comprehensive data sharing and collaboration.
• Data Privacy and Security: The dashboard will adhere to federal privacy laws, ensuring that any individual-level data is de-identified. Access to non-public data will be limited to authorized personnel, while aggregate data will be made publicly available online.

Reporting Requirements

The Secretary is also required to submit reports, starting two years after the bill’s enactment and annually thereafter. These reports will include:

• Updates on the dashboard's implementation and operational effectiveness.
• Findings related to trends and distribution in the healthcare workforce.
• Evaluations of how effectively federal programs are addressing physician shortages.
• Recommendations for improving planning and distribution of healthcare workforce resources.

Funding

The bill authorizes an appropriation of $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2026 to support its initiatives.

Definition of Medically Underserved Community

The bill specifies that "medically underserved community" is defined according to the standards set forth in existing legislation related to public health.

Conclusion on Potential Impact

This bill aims primarily at improving health care workforce data collection and distribution strategies to alleviate shortages, especially in areas that lack sufficient medical services.

Relevant Companies

• None found