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National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
 

The Rhode Island Health Workforce: Highlights from the Health Workforce Profile

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State Health Workforce Profiles
Highlights
Rhode Island

Printer-friendly Rhode Island Highlights (PDF - 41 KB)

  • There were over 52,000 people employed in the health sector in Rhode Island in 2000, 11.2% of Rhode Island‘s total workforce. Rhode Island ranked 5th among the states in per capita health services employment in 2000.
  • Health services employment in Rhode Island grew 28% between 1988 and 2000, while the state’s population increased by 5%, resulting in a net per capita growth of 21% in health services sector employment, equaling the national rate.
  • The total population of Rhode Island is projected to grow 6% between 2000 and 2020, while the population 65 and over is projected to grow 21% between 2000 and 2020.
  • In 1999, Rhode Island was above the national rate of deaths due to cancer, lower than the national rate of deaths due to heart disease, and significantly below the national rate of deaths due to firearms.
  • In 2000, Rhode Island was below the national rate in the number of hospital beds per 100,000 population.

Highlights of the findings about the health workforce in Rhode Island are presented below.

Medicine

  • There were more than 2,500 active patient care physicians in Rhode Island in 2000. With 240 physicians per 100,000 population, Rhode Island was well above the national ratio of 198 physicians per 100,000. Rhode Island ranked 6th among states in physicians per capita.
  • Rhode Island had 80 active primary care physicians per 100,000 population in 2000, higher than the rate of 69 per 100,000 for the entire country.
  • Medical schools in Rhode Island graduated 81 new physicians in 2000. Rhode Island ranked 40th among the 46 states with medical schools in number of medical school graduates. On a per capita basis, Rhode Island graduated more new physicians per 100,000 population (7.9) than did the entire United States (6.4) and ranked 14th among the 46 states in medical school graduates per capita.
  • There were 102 physician assistants practicing in Rhode Island in 2000. This was equal to 9.7 physician assistants per 100,000 population, less than the national rate of 14.4.

Nursing

  • There were 13,700 licensed registered nurses (RNs) in Rhode Island in 2000; more than 11,500 were employed in nursing. There were 1,098.5 RNs per 100,000 population in Rhode Island in 2000, significantly higher than the national rate of 780.2.
  • In 2000, Rhode Island ranked 34th among the states in the per capita employment of Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPNs), with 198 LPNs per 100,000 population as compared to the national rate of 240.8 per 100,000. Rhode Island ranked 44th in the number of LPNs employed in 2000 with 2,080.
  • There were nearly 400 nurse practitioners in Rhode Island in 2000. This was equal to 37.5 nurse practitioners per 100,000 population, higher than the national rate of 33.7.
  • With 62 certified nurse midwives in 2000, Rhode Island had 5.9 certified nurse midwives per 100,000 population, well above the national rate of 2.9. Rhode Island had one of the highest ratios of certified nurse midwives per capita in the nation.
  • With more than 120 certified registered nurse anesthetists in 2003, Rhode Island had 11.7 nurse anesthetists per 100,000 population, higher than the national rate of 9.3.

Dentistry, Pharmacy and Mental Health

  • There were 590 dentists, 490 dental hygienists, and 1,250 dental assistants practicing in Rhode Island in 2000. There were 56.2 dentists per 100,000 population in Rhode Island in 2000, lower than the national rate of 63.6. The per capita ratio of dental hygienists was slightly less than the national rate, and the per capita ratio of dental assistants was well above the national rate.
  • The number of dentists in Rhode Island increased 10% between 1991 and 2000, while the state’s population grew 5%. The result was a 6% increase in dentists per capita, less than the 16% increase nationwide.
  • There were 890 pharmacists and 960 pharmacy technicians and aides practicing in Rhode Island in 2000. Rhode Island had 84.7 pharmacists and 91.4 pharmacy technicians and aides per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked them 11th and 19th, respectively, among the 50 states.
  • There were 189 psychiatrists, 400 psychologists, and 2,580 social workers in Rhode Island in 2000. This was equal to 19.1 psychiatrists, 38.1 psychologists, and 245.6 social workers per 100,000 population. Rhode Island ranked 6th among states in psychiatrists per capita, 19th among states in psychologists per capita, and 4th among states in social workers per capita.

Aides

  • There were 2,660 home health aides and 7,560 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants working in Rhode Island in 2000. Rhode Island had 253.2 home health aides and 719.5 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants per 100,000 population in 2000, which ranked 9th and 4th, respectively, among the 50 states.