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A community development approach to rural recruitment
1WVU Department of Family Medicine, PO Box 9152, Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA. shannonk@rcbhsc.wvu.edu
Summary
The Recruitable Community Project (RCP) empowers rural communities for healthcare provider recruitment by integrating community development with recruitment strategies. This approach shows early promise in enhancing recruitment potential and success.
Area of Science:
- Rural Health
- Community Development
- Healthcare Workforce
Background:
- Traditional rural healthcare provider recruitment often overlooks broader community development needs.
- Empowering rural communities requires a holistic approach beyond the healthcare sector.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the Recruitable Community Project (RCP) model for enhancing rural community recruitment potential.
- To assess the impact of integrated community development and recruitment strategies on healthcare provider recruitment in rural areas.
Main Methods:
- The RCP model involves community education, broad-based community development assessments, and multidisciplinary university-based planning assistance.
- A project manager acted as a "community encourager" to foster sustained recruitment efforts.
- Seven underserved rural communities participated in the RCP organizational processes and planning assistance programs.
Main Results:
- Community recruitment boards highly rated the RCP process, planning assistance, and its role in establishing agency ties.
- The seven participating communities successfully recruited 27 healthcare providers following their involvement with the RCP.
- Community involvement in the RCP appears to have stimulated recruitment success.
Conclusions:
- The RCP model demonstrates early promise in empowering rural communities for healthcare professional recruitment through integrated training and development.
- This community-driven model can be expanded through greater collaboration between community development and health science programs for improved recruitment and retention.