Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 48 - PUBLIC HEALTH-GENERAL
Part I - General Administration
Subpart 5 - Health Planning
Chapter 119 - Health Care Manpower
Section I-11901 - Introduction
Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
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:
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.
AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with P.L. 93-641 amended by P. L. 96-79, and R.S. 36:256(b).