GIS residency footprinting: analyzing the impact of family medicine graduate medical education in Hawai'i.
BACKGROUND
Access to care for patients in Hawai'i is compromised by a significant primary care workforce shortage. Not only are there not enough primary care providers, they are often not practicing in locations of high need such as rural areas on the neighbor islands or in the Pacific.


METHODS
This study used geographic information systems (GIS) spatial analysis to look at practice locations for 86 University of Hawai'i Family Medicine and Community Health graduates from 1993 to the 2010. Careful alumni records were verified and entered into the data set using the street address of major employment. Questions to be answered were (1) what percentage of program graduates remain in the state of Hawai'i and (2) what percentage of graduates practice in health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) throughout the United States.


RESULTS
This study found that 73 percent of graduates remain and practice in Hawai'i with over 36 percent working in Health Professional Shortage Areas.


CONCLUSIONS
Spatial analysis using GIS residency footprinting may be an important analytic tool to ensure that graduate medical education programs are meeting Hawai'i's health workforce needs.
Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI 96789, USA. hixon@hawaii.edu
Allen L
AL
Hixon
Lee E
LE
Buenconsejo-Lum
C Philip
CP
Racsa
D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006254:Hawaii; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D011365:Professional Practice Location