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. 2024 Oct 15;ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print):84-100.
doi: 10.1108/LHS-06-2024-0054.

Leadership in federally qualified health centers: examining recruitment and retention in rural Oklahoma

Courtney Hamby  1 , Carissa R Smock  2
Affiliations
Free article

Leadership in federally qualified health centers: examining recruitment and retention in rural Oklahoma

Courtney Hamby et al. Leadersh Health Serv (Bradf Engl). .
Free article

Abstract

Purpose: Healthcare workforce shortages, particularly in rural areas, present a global challenge. The purpose of this study is to explore the leadership dynamics within federally qualified health centers (FQHC) in rural Oklahoma, focusing on recruitment, retention, job satisfaction and development practices.

Design/methodology/approach: Eighteen managers with five or more years of tenure from Oklahoma FQHCs were interviewed. Leadership's role in influencing job satisfaction, recruitment, retention and development practices was analyzed using a multilevel ecological framework through qualitative content analysis with NVivo.

Findings: The analysis includes ten key themes including the critical role of leadership in addressing recruitment and retention challenges, the importance of aligning organizational culture, rural culture, access challenges, trainings and values with workforce development initiatives, and the impact of leadership practices on job satisfaction.

Originality/value: This study uniquely examines leadership strategies in rural FQHCs, integrating ecological considerations for cultural, logistical and community-specific factors. It emphasizes the pivotal role leadership plays in shaping workforce development. As rural healthcare evolves, refining these approaches is crucial for addressing workforce challenges, improving healthcare access and ensuring that rural FQHCs remain sustainable, driving positive outcomes for healthcare professionals and communities.

Keywords: Federally qualified health centers; Healthcare workforce; Leadership; Qualitative content analysis; Recruitment; Retention.

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References

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Further reading

    1. Baker, S.E. and Edwards, R. (2012), “How many qualitative interviews is enough?”, Expert voices and early career reflections on sampling and cases in qualitative research. National Centre for Research Methods.
    1. Cummings, G.G., Tate, K., Lee, S., Wong, C.A., Paananen, T., Micaroni, S.P.M. and Chatterjee, G.E. (2018), “Leadership styles and outcome patterns for the nursing workforce and work environment: a systematic review”, International Journal of Nursing Studies, Vol. 85, pp. 19-60, doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2018.04.016.
    1. Khalil, M. and Alameddine, M. (2020), “Recruitment and retention strategies, policies, and their barriers: a narrative review in the eastern Mediterranean region”, Health Science Reports, Vol. 3 No. 4, p. e192, doi: 10.1002/hsr2.192.
    1. Levine, D.M., Ouchi, K., Blanchfield, B., Saenz, A., Burke, K., Paz, M., Diamond, K., Pu, C.T. and Schnipper, J.L. (2020), “Hospital-level care at home for acutely ill adults: a randomized controlled trial”, Annals of Internal Medicine, Vol. 172 No. 2, pp. 77-85, doi: 10.7326/M19-0600.
    1. Morris, L.S., Grehl, M.M., Rutter, S.B., Mehta, M. and Westwater, M.L. (2022), “On what motivates us: a detailed review of intrinsic v. extrinsic motivation”, Psychological Medicine, Vol. 52 No. 10, pp. 1801-1816, doi: 10.1017/S0033291722001611.