A new study in Health Affairs found that many patients regularly defer to their doctors out of fear of asking questions or raising doubts about their treatment. As health systems grow increasingly complex, playing a passive role will increasingly put patients at risk for a lower quality of care. "‘What's interesting to us is these were mostly Caucasian, highly educated, well-to-do people, and they're talking about these difficulties,’ [Dominick Frosch, the study’s author] said. ‘It's difficult to imagine this is easier for people in a less advantageous social position.’" Read the full story
A recent study in the Annals of Emergency Medicine finds there are two keys to successful medical interpretation: rigorous training and professional interpreters, as opposed to amateur ones, like family members or friends. The study also proved that not only do effective interpreters save costs, but they also can prevent medical harm. “When Spanish-speaking families had access to a professional interpreter, 12 percent of translation slips [that] could have had 'clinical consequences,' like giving a wrong medication dose. But mistakes like that were about twice as likely if there was no interpreter or if the translator was an amateur.” Read the full story
"Hospitals and hospital-related spending contribute $11.7 billion annually to the [Sacramento] region, a new report concludes. The industry generates more than 84,000 jobs at wages and salaries almost 70 percent higher than the average for all occupations in the state — and the sector is growing twice as fast as overall employment." Read the full story
"Future Faces of Family Medicine, a program started last school year by family medicine residents at UC Davis and Sutter Health, along with the California Academy of Family Physicians, [aims] to recruit more youths – especially those from low-income and ethnic minority backgrounds – into their often-unsung profession. 'There's a lot of work that needs to be done’ to make up the gaps in family medicine, said Callie Langton, executive director of the CAFP Foundation. 'But programs like that can go a long way to helping students who are interested in helping others to say, 'I can go to medical school, I can be the first in my family to go to college, and then I can come back and help my community.''" Read the full story
With three to four million Californians expected to become newly insured in 2014, legislators, providers and researchers around the state are scrambling to shore up the many shortages that plague the state’s health workforce. Some more immediate solutions being proposed include the promotion of training programs in underserved communities, increasing investment in health information technology and enabling nurse practitioners and others to take on some responsibilities previously reserved exclusively for doctors. Read the full story
"'As we wake up on 2014, everyone may have a health insurance card, but it may be that not everyone will have access to a health provider,' [Senate member Ed Hernandez] said. The current primary care workforce shortage hits two areas in particular, according to researcher Catherine Dower of UCSF: the rural areas, and in urban areas among communities of color." Read the full story
Recently, 180 San Joaquin County high school students competed against one another to test their hospital bed making skills, knowledge of health careers, mastery of the steps to cardiopulmonary resuscitation process, and much more. It was all part of the regional event of Cal-HOSA, the statewide chapter of a national organization that promotes student interest in health careers through leadership and learning opportunities. "'We're about 1 million workers short in California,' [Cindy Beck, state adviser for the health occupation program to the California Department of Education] said. 'They need leadership skills and occupational skills. These organizations like HOSA are really good for kids. They interact with their peers and adults with similar interests, and we have a broad base of good industry support.'" Read the full story
"In 2011, the state approved $2 billion in cuts to our community colleges, California State University, and University of California systems. These are the same institutions responsible for training the vast majority of California’s health care professionals. In spite of deep cuts to higher education, there are still ways we can address the many challenges…In fact, our search for solutions cannot wait for optimal budget times. This crisis provides the state of California with an opportunity to prioritize the resources we do have to ensure that we prepare the workforce we need." Read the full story
A study released today found that although over 1 million limited-English proficient (LEP) adults will be eligible to enroll in the Health Benefit Exchange, less than 50 percent of those adults will. The study cites language barriers as a major factor in preventing LEP adults from accessing care. “[Ellen Wu, executive director of CPEHN, said,] ‘Our success in implementing this new program will be measured not just by the number of people enrolled, but by the state’s ability to reach those who are most often left behind. We have to target resources through multicultural and multilingual outreach to ensure that communities of color who are eligible, particularly people who speak English less than very well, enroll in coverage.’” Read the report release
Not long ago San Joaquin County was designated a Health Professional Shortage Area, but Stockton’s strong network of health training programs may be changing that. An array of partnerships among local providers, schools and even California Correctional Health Care Services are making quality programs available for students at all stages of the training pipeline. The investment in education will pay off in local job opportunities soon--both a veterans facility and a prison are opening near Stockton within the decade. "'People said they have been waiting a long time for this to happen,' [Health Careers Academy Principal Traci Miller] said. 'The hospitals are working together. The schools are working together. Now, there's more of a coalition of programs.'" Read the full story
A new forecast predicts that San Diego County’s unemployment rate will drop steadily over the coming years and cites the health sector as a primary driver of that trend. "Health care takes the lead: With aging baby boomers needing more care, there is increasing demand for health-care services, which could increase as the federal health-care plan comes into action…Sharp Healthcare, Scripps Health and Kaiser Permanente are already under way with expansion plans." Read the full story
State regulators announced that they will shut down the Institute of Medical Education, a private vocational school that had offered programs including MRI technology, phlebotomy and dental hygiene. The closing highlights the difficulty students encounter to find and access training programs to get jobs in allied health. “The closure comes after The Bay Citizen published a story last month detailing complaints students had made to state regulators about the quality of the institute's educational programs and impending accreditation problems.” Read the full story
New 2012 data reveal that health remains one of the sectors most vital to U.S. job growth. “In January, the U.S. health care sector added 30,900 jobs, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data. According to BLS, ambulatory health care services added 12,900 positions and hospitals added 12,700 positions.” Read the full story
Natividad Medical Foundation will award funding to six women to train as indigenous language medical interpreters. Once trained, they will serve Salinas area patients who speak the indigenous languages of Mexico’s Oaxaca region. The Foundation anticipates its funds will have a great impact both on the area’s quality of care and the lives of the newly trained interpreters. “’We want to support the women so they can get a skill and do everything they need to support people in our community,’ [Natividad Medical Foundation president and CEO Linda] Ford said. ‘We want to do what it takes to help us get the best possible, safest medical care (to patients.)’” Read the full story
Modesto Junior College recently built a cutting edge training facility for its allied health programs to help students master the latest technology and gain experience in real-world situations. "'It's so realistic, you feel like you're in a hospital. It allows us to prepare with confidence,' [said student Ann Seymour of Modesto]." Despite the upgrade, however, the college still faces such high demand for its health programs that it has to turn away many applicants. Read the full story
"Patient navigators, where they exist, are essential members of clinical teams, providing highly technical and interpersonal skills...Patient navigators don't just benefit people who struggle with English, they play vital roles assisting the chronically ill, poor and elderly...By reducing confusion for any patient, patient navigators can improve the efficiency and cost of care within the whole system..." Read the full story
"California's policymakers, health providers and educators would be wise to heed the forecast for another brewing storm that will last longer and adversely affect millions of people throughout the state. For years, researchers, economists and health care providers have warned that much of the state will have too few health workers for patients who need care. And if a population that was already growing and graying means dark clouds will turn to a steady drizzle, then the new health care reform law – the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – represents a monsoon that we are ill-prepared for." Read the full story
“Informing low-income residents and people of color about health care reform -- and enrolling these communities into insurance programs -- will be just the first hurdle. The next challenge, especially for Latinos in the San Joaquín Valley, will be ensuring that there are enough culturally and linguistically competent doctors and specialists to serve everyone, according to the UCSF report on the state's health care workforce. The report...recommends growing and training a diverse health care workforce that better reflects that state's population.” Read the full story
A new report by the University of California San Francisco projects that health reform will strain the entire state’s health workforce—but will hit certain areas of California, like the San Joaquin Valley and Inland Empire, especially hard. “Geographic maldistribution of health care professionals has resulted in shortages in some areas of the state and surpluses in others. To rectify the problem, training programs must be created in regions facing the most shortages and providers should be used to their full abilities, researchers recommend.” Read the full story
The Obama administration announced today that it will fund up to $1 billion in grants aimed at increasing the size and efficiency of the nation’s health workforce. The funds will be available to a wide range of recipients and activities and the administration is especially encouraging innovative approaches. That support of creativity grows out of the administration’s recognition that the health workforce may not only need to grow, but also change structurally, by 2014 if the nation is going to be able to offer its millions of new patients efficient and high-quality care. “Under this new program, organizations may be able to explore how community workers, volunteers, pharmacy techs or clinic managers could play a larger role in the health-care workforce.” Read the full story
A new report from UCSF examines the impact of the Affordable Care Act on the health workforce in California. "'We're going to get a whole lot of new patients, and we better have the right workers in the right places when those patients show up at the door,' said Susan Chapman, an author of the report." The research identifies the San Joaquin Valley as a region that will suffer shortages of doctors and other allied health professionals if training opportunities are not expanded. Read the full story
"Researchers at the Center for the Health Professions at the University of California, San Francisco, wrote that 'distribution (of health professionals) poses a bigger challenge than absolute numbers.' They found that the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Orange County and Sacramento area regions that have more residency and training programs will be better equipped to handle the expected increase in patient demand. But rural and underserved areas such as the Inland Empire and the San Joaquin Valley will be significantly strained." Read the full story
UC Merced, in collaboration with UC Davis, has set out to address the shortage of physical therapists in a new, innovative way, banking on technology to help serve the thousands of baby boomers entering their elder years. They’re developing a software program that will use avatars to deliver physical therapy services to the elderly virtually, a solution that will address both the therapist shortage and the inability of some seniors to leave their homes easily. "Imagine this: A patient with a shoulder injury stands in front of a computer or TV screen, where an avatar is performing an exercise. The patient mimics the exercise, and the avatar lets him know when and how to adjust his shoulder." Read the full story
With help from a $12,000 grant from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, students in health training programs across Merced have the opportunity to attend pretraining courses and other events dedicated to improving their cultural competency. "'It's very difficult to get this information out to doctors, but we figure we can get it (out) to the future doctors’ and other medical providers,' [Candice Adam-Medefind from The Healthy House Within A MATCH Coalition in Merced] said. 'To help prepare the next generation of the work force to help address the health disparities in our diverse population.'" Read the full story
A new Health Careers Academy in Stockton is encouraging its students to consider serving as health workers at a new prison medical facility set to open in 2012. The facility is expected to need thousands of health workers, which is why Academy students were taken on a tour of San Quentin State Prison and given the unique opportunity to meet with phlebotomists, pharmacists, psychological technicians and others who serve prisoners. “At the end of the day, safely outside the gates, some of the students said they had been won over…‘(San Quentin staffers) were saying it was fun and never boring,’ 15-year-old Kimberly Alvarado said. ‘I don't want to be bored at my job.’" Read the full story
“For every eight jobs lost since the Great Recession began in December 2007, one new job has been created in the health care industry -- the only sector to consistently add jobs each month. The rest of the U.S. economy has collectively lost 8.18 million jobs across that time…Looking at past BLS reports reveals that the gain in health jobs isn't a short-term boom. The health sector has grown by 36% since September 2001. That's a near-inversion of the U.S. manufacturing sector, which has shrunk by 33% across a decade.” Read the full story
Kern Community College District recently received $5 million to help improve training for high-demand health careers as part of a larger federal grant to the California Community College Consortium. Cerro Coso Community College is just one example of how a funding boost can help a program do so much more for its students. “Cerro Coso’s estimated $1.5 million dollar share of this grant will be allocated to increase health careers course offerings at all campuses; develop a new health careers program in Certified Medical Assistant; build specialized basic skills courses to help students succeed; increase student services geared for retention in career counseling, tutoring, and job placement services; and purchase state-of-the-art lab equipment.” Read the full story
This fall, Simi Valley High School launched a Medical and Health Careers Academy. Through partnerships with local providers, including a dentist and surgery center, the academy gives students unique internship and mentorship opportunities. "‘This is a good program for a good cause,’ [Jeanine Maurer, director of Aspen Surgery Center, one of the partners, said.] ‘If we spent more time helping to develop the health care professionals at a young age they would be able to find out what they like and could move into their careers earlier.’" Read the full story
Governor Brown recently signed a controversial bill that requires the state’s 49 local workplace investment boards to divert increasingly more money away from job centers and toward skills training. Many WIBs opposed the legislation, arguing that it would prevent them from helping people find immediate employment. But, proponents of the bill see an investment in training as valuable. “Angie Wei, lobbyist for the California Labor Federation, [a proponent of the bill, said], ‘We've got to do things differently, to make investments in people to get them into work they can make a career of.’” Read the full story
Over 30 California community colleges will receive nearly $37 million in grants for improving STEM education at institutions that serve large numbers of Latino students. “The money can be used to purchase lab equipment, enhance tutoring programs, build new facilities and develop new courses, among other things. ‘The funds will help Hispanic students achieve their educational goals while improving the pool of highly skilled individuals who can strengthen California’s economy and compete globally,’ [said California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott].” Read the full story
A recent EDD summary of online job search data revealed that, at least in Sacramento, the health industry remains a bright spot, offering more employment opportunities than any other. “Registered nurses were most in demand, with 1,278 online postings…Health networks Kaiser Permanente and Sacramento-based Sutter Health, two of the area's major employers, topped the list of employers' job postings.” Read the full story
California High’s recently created BioMed Academy is using a rigorous curriculum to prepare students to pursue careers in allied health. The comprehensive program even requires students to complete an internship supervised by a mentor and has hosted health career fairs with potential employers in the past. “In all, 115 students are in the BioMed academy, with 44 in the first class -- because so many students were interested, [Assistant Principal Peter] Stewart said the school had to add a class.” Read the full story
Program, despite their rising costs. The schools have been able to add new health programs, like phlebotomy technician, to meet student demand, but the costs of such courses, which were free three years ago, have risen into the thousands. “’They're coming in pretty strong,’ [Principal Dom] Gagliardi said Thursday about enrollment figures. ‘Frankly I wasn't sure, because there's been some raised prices. [But] all classes related to allied health careers are filling up.’” Read the full story
A new report by the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California named hospitals San Francisco’s leading industry. The report cited the massive spending hospitals drive, as well as the jobs they create and higher-than-average wages they pay. “Unlike other sectors of the economy, many jobs in health care can't be usurped by outsourcing or technology. "‘These jobs aren't going anywhere,’ said Steven Rousso, principal with HFS Consultants, an Oakland financial consulting firm for clinics and hospitals. 'They're here to stay and are only going to grow as health care becomes a larger percent of gross domestic product.’” Read the full story
Since a large Fremont auto plant closed in 2010, 600 of its workers have moved on to retrain in allied health, and they are now hitting the job market, attending a recent fair held for them by Kaiser Permanente. "’When you look at what they do, attention to details, team work, being able to focus on process, and of course, dealing with customers...those are all transferable skills that we're looking for,’ said Ron Li, an area recruitment manager…‘Life's changed... you know, it threw a curve ball at me, but I accepted it…I'm excited about the change and I really see a good future ahead for me and my family,’ said Freddy Medina, a medical assistant trainee.” Read the full story
Through a partnership with The California Endowment’s Building Healthy Communities program, Hartnell College in East Salinas is generating a growing interest in health jobs among high school and community college students. Hartnell’s Summer Bridge program gives students hands-on experience in hospitals and The Endowment provides them with academic and career counseling support. “Hartnell's Healthcare Program now has 90% percent of students who were in the Summer Bridge program.”
The rapidly growing senior population will create jobs across the health sector, from technicians to home health aides. If training and recruitment efforts do not expand and benefits do not improve, many job opportunities may be lost and seniors may be left without care. “’My guess is that there could be some 20 million new jobs when it's all said and done because of seniors,’ says Tim White, managing partner of executive search firm Kaye Bassman. Ten out of the twenty most rapidly growing industries in the U.S. are in health care.” Read the full story
Stanislaus County is going to great lengths to address a psychiatric technician shortage that is looming as the opening of a new, local state prison nears. The County’s Alliance Worknet is partnering with Modesto Junior College and San Joaquin Delta College to offer a completely free training program open to all “dislocated workers”—those who are changing career fields. "’This is a great opportunity. There aren't too many opportunities that come along where we can train people for a job that pays well with good benefits that we're very confident there will be jobs available at the end of training,’ Rowe said.” Read the full story
Yuba College recently opened a new Allied Health and Public Safety with a focus on maximizing hands-on, real world training for students. “The hospital simulation lab will allow students to practice diagnosis and treatment of any imaginable problems, from asthma to strokes to congestive heart failure in infants to adults. Simulation labs are critical because of a lack of clinical facilities, liability and the hazards for students to work in a real-life setting, [Sheila Scroggins, director of nursing] said.” Read the full story
While some lawmakers have accused health care reform of being a job killer, others argue that it will actually be a job creator, at least in the health care sector, which remains a very bright spot during tough economic times. “Reform or not, health care remains the most reliable engine of U.S. job-creation these days. (That is, outside of McDonald's.) For every eight jobs lost since the Great Recession began in December 2007, one new job has been created in the health care industry.” Read the full story
The federal government recently took steps to help California address its health workforce shortage, particularly in rural areas like Merced. The Health Resources and Services Administration awarded Livingston Medical Group, a non-profit health center focusing on underserved communities, a $316,562 grant to open a new medical facility in Hilmar. “In a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, [Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-Merced)] noted, ‘In California’s San Joaquin Valley...with an existing shortage well established and an aging population, our country desperately needs investments in the health care workforce, not rescissions.’” Read the full story
The Valley Family Medicine Residency Program in Modesto represents one innovative solution for addressing the primary care shortages that plague counties across the state, and especially rural areas. “The idea is to move residencies away from hospitals in urban centers, which tend to produce high-paid specialists, and put the resources into community health centers training family doctors in small towns and little-served areas. ‘It makes sense: we all benefit from family doctors in the area and now we're all together and committed to residency education. It's a robust model,’ [Peter Broderick, the program’s director said].” Read the fully story
San Joaquin Valley’s health officials are bracing for an influx of new patients as health care reform kicks in fully over the next few years. “Another difficult issue that is not addressed in the Bridge to Reform: the San Joaquin Valley has a severe shortage of both primary care and specialty doctors…‘We have a difficult time recruiting positions to this area,’ [Mary Ann Lee, managing director of Stanislaus County’s Health Services Agency] said.” Read the full story
Due to massive budget cuts, California’s community colleges have slashed their summer course offerings. While the San Diego Community College District chose to preserve its allied health courses, students in other districts and careers haven’t been so lucky. “In a survey conducted by Pearson Foundation Community College Student Survey found that forty-seven percent of California students have been unable to enroll in needed courses because they were full.” Read the full story
Cal State Stanislaus, Kaiser Permanente’s School of Allied Health Sciences and the Stockton Unified School District are all collaborating in new ways to enhance the local training pipeline. To address the San Joaquin Valley’s critical health workforce shortage, the three institutions are expanding course offerings, developing new degrees and even opening a Health Careers Academy. Read the fully story
Alameda County Medical Center clinics and hospitals are leading the way in offering extensive, cutting-edge medical interpretation services. “The medical center uses video conference machines, dual handset phones and speaker and conference phones to get vital medical information to patients, hospital officials said…five years ago they acquired 41 video monitoring machines and now serve about 88,000 patients annually, said Sambo Ly, the manager of interpreter services.” Read the full story
The Institute of Medicine recently released a new report on access to dental care. Among its primary recommendations to improving access are: strengthening recruitment and training of dental students in rural and low-income areas and giving more practicing power to allied health workers, like hygienists. Read the full story
A recent study by UCSF/Kaiser provides quantitative evidence that medical interpreters are critical to ensuring a high quality of care. “28 percent of Hispanic patients with limited English-language skills seen by non-Spanish-speaking doctors had poor blood sugar control, compared with 16 percent who had Spanish-speaking doctors.” Read the full story
“According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, we will need at least 90,000 additional doctors by 2020…To meet the demand, Congress must increase the number of doctors hospitals can train and not reduce the funding available for training. The short-term budgetary savings of graduate medical education cuts are not worth the long-term negative impact on patients.” Read the full story
The Stockton Unified School District will open a new Health Careers Academy this fall specifically aimed at meeting local health workforce needs. “The Health Careers Academy will train a work force for the California state prison and Veterans Administration hospitals that are expected to open in Stockton in the coming years. ‘It's an opportunity for students to take advantage of a growing job market,’ Superintendent Carl Toliver said. ‘It's how we are going to address the needs of the community.’" Read the full story
Merced County is struggling with both the size and diversity of its mental health workforce, and now they’re implementing new training and education programs to address those challenges. “'It's a good thing for Merced County,' [Sharon Jones, Mental Health Services Act coordinator in Merced] said. ‘We are building the workforce for the different cultures and ethnicities. To have representation for the most underserved groups.'” Read the full story
“While much has been written about the role of doctors, nurses and other clinicians in the care of patients and their families, little attention has been paid to those individuals who make up the very front lines of health care. ‘Patient care is a holistic social process,’ [lead researcher] Dr. Ward added. ‘And those on the front line can be a crucial part of that holistic treatment.’” Read the full story
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation aims to hold providers accountable for offering culturally competent care by rating them on its Healthcare Equality Index. The Index, whose 2011 ratings for hundreds of facilities nationwide were released last week, includes cultural competency training for staff as one of its four main criteria. Read the full story
The same forces, like health care reform and an aging population, creating shortages of allied health workers in California are also exacerbating the supply of primary care physicians. “There are already shortages of primary care physicians in 74 percent of counties in California, including San Bernardino and Riverside counties …Parts of the Coachella Valley have doctor/patient ratios that would qualify as a shortage in Third World countries under World Health Organization guidelines, [dean of the School of Medicine at UC Riverside Dr. G. Richard] Olds said.” Read the full story
Preparing high school graduates for middle-skill jobs, which include allied health careers, is central to solving California’s skills gap or mismatch. Successful programs, like John Muir Health’s partnership with the Health and Bioscience Academy at Mount Diablo High School, offer evidence of how helpful career-oriented teaching can be for both students and the state. “A survey of the Health and Bioscience Academy over the past two years shows that as a result of the partnership with John Muir, 96 percent of the academy's students had increased awareness of health care careers.” Read the full story
California’s allied health workforce shortage still looms large, with many of its causes requiring long-term, systemic changes. In the mean time, some providers are finding more immediate ways to address those shortages. Coastal Health Alliance in rural Marin County is one example. "‘We use what we call Teamlettes,’ Witte [medical director there] said. ‘A group of people assigned to every patient. Administrative, clinical, psychiatric, all of us working at the top of our license, because there's a lot of stuff done in medicine that can be done at other levels.’” Read the full story
“So here we are with 6,000 geriatricians, a number that’s actually declining. That amounts to one medical specialist for every 2,000 Americans over age 75, a group about to get much larger very quickly. ‘It’s not a good ratio,’ Mr. Langston said.” Read the full story
As providers ramp up this recruitment and hiring, how they train workers is critical for providing culturally responsive care. It's not just about language -- although that is crucial -- but rather understanding a patient's specific needs and handling their care in a sensitive, knowledgeable way. Read the full story
The California Labor and Workforce Development Agency’s employment training panel awarded almost $12 billion in funds last week for job-training, primarily of health workers. Recipients include health care facilities, like Citrus Valley Health Partners, who will receive $398,520. "'We're thrilled to get this money,' Citrus Valley spokeswoman Tracy Dallarda said. 'It will be used for valuable recruiting and training.'” Read the full story
Over the next 20 years, the number of Californians over 65 will double, and that population requires more health services than any other. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) recognized the severity of that looming workforce shortage by reintroducing the Caring for an Aging America Act, legislation meant to train and encourage health workers to serve the elderly population. Read the full story
California faces shortages of physicians similar to the allied health workforce. Like in allied health, health care reform and the looming retirement of employees, combined with a lack of training opportunities, exacerbate the problem. "Already, only a quarter of California's counties meet the recommended ratio of 60 to 80 primary care doctors for every 100,000 residents...'The problem with the workforce,' [vice president for policy at the California Medical Association Lisa] Folberg said, 'is the long pipeline for physician training.'" Read the full story
Often, cultural competency is seen as a language or ethnic issue. But many lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender patients receive substandard care due to a lack of cultural competency. "LGBT patients receive substandard treatment from medical staff – or skip care altogether, fearing judgment, ignorant questions, blank stares and irrelevant recommendations. Workers must engage patients without judgment or assumption, and body language and facial expressions – whether showing confusion or disapproval – are just as powerful as words." Read the full story
"Among low-income patients who are black or whose primary language is not English, patient navigators may help improve colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates, according to a report in the May 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals." Read the full story
California’s growing senior population may create an even higher demand for allied health workers, especially those that serve older patients, like home health aides. Training enough workers must remain a priority since the boomers in California will only continue to age and need increasingly intensive care. “Over the past 10 years, the number of Californians ages 55 to 64 has increased from 2.6 million to 4 million, according to the census data. The age group now makes up 10.8% of California's population.” Read the full story
Santa Barbara Business College recently recognized how fast the field of health information technology is growing by creating a new degree program. "’Our comprehensive curriculum prepares students for the skills they need to be successful in today's modern medical office,’ says instructor Debbie Newcomb. ‘HIT includes training in the latest trends in medicine, including electronic health records, which is the hottest topic in medical management at the present time.’” Read the full story
“We must confront our new demographic reality with a larger, more diverse health workforce that ushers in lower costs and higher-quality, equal care – for all. If our health professionals cannot communicate with and understand the cultural context of their patients, the promise of reform (including expanded access and reduced costs) will go unrealized.” Read the full story
The recent release of 2010 Census data emphasized how fast the Latino population is growing in California and reiterated the need for the state to offer culturally and linguistically competent health care."’Coverage doesn’t always equal access,’ Secretary Dooley said. The key to fixing cultural disparities in health care means a more systemic approach, she said.” Read the full story
“The San Francisco Health Care Academy, a joint effort by the city’s department of Economic and Workforce Development, San Francisco City College and other partners, has found jobs in health-related roles for 105 graduates over the last 16 months.” Read the full story
Potential curriculum changes by the California legislature, led by Sen. Darrell Steinberg, should help the state’s high school graduates compete for high-demand jobs, like those in allied health. "SB 611 and SB 612, which would expand and codify two UC programs that help high school teachers develop college-prep, career-oriented courses and train them in teaching material with real-world applications. The bills focus on developing more college-prep classes related to growth sectors of the economy, including biotech, clean energy and health care." Read the full story
Mexican health care workers can help stem employment shortages and address the cultural competency demands of a diverse population. Public-private partnerships, like the Welcome Back Center, are helping to re-certify these workers in order to meet California's health workforce challenges. Read the full story
Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital’s decision to switch from team nursing to a primary RN model may signal a larger trend in nursing staffing strategies and could reduce the demand for LVNs. “By Sept. 30, 2013, the hospital is expected to have completed its transition from team nursing — a system set up after World War II, when nurses were scarce — to a primary-care model widely embraced by hospitals since the ’70s." Read the full story
Lifting the hiring freeze at state mental hospitals, the state of California recently validated the importance and continued growth of health jobs even in tough economic times. “Despite the state's acute budget crisis,” [California Health and Human Services Secretary Diana] Dooley said, "I made the decision this week that there are real needs in the state hospitals, and we need to refill positions." Read the full story
A culturally competent health workforce will meet the needs not only of ethnically diverse populations, but also the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The California legislature is now recognizing the unique needs of LGBT patients. "Expanding the mission of the state Office of Multicultural Health to include issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity will help the state develop and implement more inclusive public health policies that benefit all of California's diverse communities." Read the full story
Providing culturally aware care goes far beyond language, or even ethnicity. A recent UCLA report highlights that culturally competent workers are needed if we are to improve the quality of care for aging lesbian and gay patients. "The report recommends increasing cultural competency and sensitivity among health care providers as a first step toward improving access to and quality of care for aging lesbian, gay and bisexual adults." Read the full story.
"Health care providers dominated the local list of employers with the most job advertisements in February, while registered nurses topped in-demand postings, according to new data from the state's Employment Development Department. Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health and Kaiser-Northern California held the top three spots, and Catholic Healthcare West and Health Net also dotted the top 10. Kaiser Permanente led the way with 259 ads." Read the full story.
With the Latino population in particular growing in California, it is important for the health workforce to be culturally competent. "Hispanics in this year's graduating class at UCLA medical school will join the U.S. health-care system with a view to helping the Hispanic community, which needs professionals who understand its culture and language." Read the full story.
Students in a Moreno Valley training program for physician assistants are not only finding jobs after graduation, but practicing in underserved areas. "We have a 100 percent placement rate," said Delores Middleton, the program's director. "Sixty-two percent of graduates in the last two years have gone to underserved areas." Read the full story.
Health reform is creating new challenges for the health workforce in California. As more patients have access to care, the demand for health workers is increasing. "There is an emerging need for community health workers -- whose definition is not consistent -- to educate patients on insurance eligibility and potential options for social services, and to serve as health care advocates and counselors," said Angela Minniefield, deputy director of the statewide planning office Health Workforce Development Division. Read the full article.
Here is one of several indicators that, especially as the economy begins to improve, opportunities in health care are growing. Read the full article.
Great piece from the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network on how health care reform will affect workforce diversity. Read the full article.
A new, optional, credential for home health aides will be offered in California this spring. We’ll be watching to see how widely it’s adopted by both workers and employers. Read the full article.
Here is a great example of an Oakland job training program that’s making the most of the fact that health jobs are in-demand. The at-risk youth who have seen a lot of hardship in their lives are finally getting the chance to help others as an asset to their communities – and earn a paycheck. Read the full article.
As thousands of older allied health workers near retirement, training programs will need to produce qualified workers at a faster rate and higher volume. “Serious shortages for clinical laboratory scientists, physical therapists, pharmacists, radiological technicians and other professions could result if priority is not given to health science education and work force development, the report said.” Read the full article.
BayBio stresses the important role that clinical laboratory scientists play not only in hospitals, but also in many biotech companies across Northern California. “Northern California's leadership in personalized medicine diagnostics has add[ed] greater stress to the CLS workforce and created demand for the position at hospitals and at companies like Genomic Health and XDx…The expected shortage of CLSs, however, is particularly startling because there are so few accredited educational programs in the state to train these workers.” Read the full article.
A recent California Hospital Association survey predicts that qualified allied health workers will be in even greater demand as hospitals lose hundreds of workers to retirement in the next five years. “‘It’s clear from this survey that retirements within the allied health occupations will have a serious impact on access to care for patients if long-term strategies for replacing these workers are not developed and implemented,’ said C. Duane Dauner, president and CEO of the association, in a statement.” Read the full article. (Registration required)
California's diverse population means we need more culturally competent health workers, especially health care interpreters. "There are very real -- potentially deadly -- implications when medical staff and patients cannot communicate. There is confusion about diagnoses, treatment options and instructions, and patients become afraid to ask questions or even return if they don't understand or trust medical staff." Read the full article
George Lauer highlights hospitals and community colleges across the state coming together to meet the demands of eager allied health students and the patients that need them. “Through a partnership with Orange Coast College, MemorialCare provides and pays for a respiratory therapist instructor and helps with student recruitment and financial aid. ‘These kinds of private-public partnerships haven't been replicated as much as I might have guessed they would be,’ [MemorialCare President and CEO Barry] Arbuckle said, 'but that may change. I think more forward-thinking institutions are going to start looking for things like this.’” Read the full article.
Allied health jobs continue to fuel job creation in the health care sector, despite the recession. “Hospitals created 50,100 jobs in 2010, nearly double the rate of job creation from 2009, and the entire healthcare sector -- everything from allergists to X-ray technicians -- created 265,800 jobs for the year, Bureau of Labor Statistics preliminary data shows. Overall, the healthcare sector employed 13.9 million people at the end of 2010, including 4.7 million jobs at hospitals, 6 million jobs in outpatient ambulatory services, and 2.3 million jobs in physicians' offices, BLS preliminary data show.” Read the full article.
As health care reform takes effect, more allied health workers will be needed in order to care for newly insured Californians. “Even with the recession, health care has continued to grow. Lynn Reaser, an economist with Point Loma Nazarene University, has estimated local health care employment at 100,700 people in 2010, with a 2.8 percent increase to 103,600 in 2011. Growth in the health care industry may very well fuel growth in other sectors, and the educational institutions will struggle to keep up.” Read the full article.
California Watch interviews Jose Millan, interim vice chancellor for economic development and workforce preparation for the community colleges,about funding for allied health programs at community colleges. Millan said, "We're looking at an avalanche of retirements in the next few years. The system is going to be overloaded by demand, and there's not enough supply to meet that demand." Read full article.
State Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina, Senate Committee on Health Chairman, and optometrist, contributes a Guest View to his home paper, The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, about the need for more health classes at community colleges. "Picture Gloria, a 20-year-old woman who lives in the San Gabriel Valley. After graduating high school with great grades in math and science, she wants to be a certified nursing assistant - a position high in demand and that would put her on a path towards stable, secure employment in the growing health care field. Nearby community colleges offer such programs, but even with strong test scores and other prerequisites, Gloria is put on a waiting list, where she waits. And waits. And still waits two years later..." Read full article.
California’s aging population is creating demand for more allied health workers, particularly physical therapists. “The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the demand for physical therapists to grow by 30 percent over the next decade.” San Diego State University “will be the only campus of California’s 23 state universities to have stand-alone doctorate programs for both nurses and physical therapists.” Read the full article.
The San Jose Mercury News examines how the looming shortage of allied health professionals will affect San Mateo. "We know there is a big shortage," said Janet Stringer, dean of science and technology at Cañada. "In a couple of years, it's going to be serious." Read the full article.
"A large percentage of dialysis technicians are failing a new competency test required by federal authorities, cutting into the patient-care workforce in California. The California Dialysis Council, which has administered its test to about 1,200 people so far, is seeing a pass rate of about 56 percent, according to the group’s executive director. Statewide, the workforce of dialysis technicians has fallen from a steady 5,200 to about 3,800, according to a Department of Public Health spokesman. That’s a 27 percent drop in the number of certified technicians." Read the full article
California Healthline reviewed recent research from the Center for American Progress evaluating for-profit colleges' health care training. The research revealed that "for-profit colleges play an important and growing role in training the country's health care work force, but they could be doing a better job." Ellen-Marie Whelan, associate director of health policy at the Center for American Progress and co-author of the report noted, "Baby boomers are getting older and needing more care. We're going to need a lot of workers to help care for all these people and for-profit colleges definitely have a role in filling this critical need." Read the full article
It is important to grow the health workforce, but we need to grow it the right way if we are to address shortages and improve patient care. "For-profit colleges educate a growing share of the nation's health-care workers, but graduate relatively few students in the highest-need fields and may be producing too many medical assistants and massage therapists, according to a report released on Thursday by the Center for American Progress." Read the full article
There are 15 career academies in West Contra Costa County, which are part of the Linked Learning program. "Those who participate in an academy take at least one 'technical' class each day geared specifically toward a career choice, such as physiology or biotechnology for those in the health academy. Other classes, such as English or math, are still connected to the health theme because a small group of teachers is responsible for the academy students all day and have coordinated their curriculum. 'They could start something in my class, work on it in their science class, and write about it in English class,' said Jose Irizarry, a social science teacher who heads the health academy at Richmond High." Read the full article
Many allied health jobs require certificates or associate's degrees, which get students into the workforce faster and can serve as stepping stones higher-paying health jobs in the future. "Omid Khofasani wants to be a pharmacist - without taking on huge student loans. So the 35-year-old is paying about $1,700 for a nine-month course at nearby Foothill College that leads to a pharmacy technician certificate and a chance to earn a solid middle-class wage of up to $60,000 a year as he works his way through pharmacy school." Read the full article
"With the population growing and aging, a report by Desert Health Care projects some 2,000 health care workers will need to be trained by 2016 to meet the demands of the population. 'We think long-term pipeline development,' said Sheila Thornton, director of Healthcare Industry Councils for CVEP's career pathways programs. 'The need for health care isn't going away anytime soon; someone's got to serve,' Thornton said." Read the full article
Many students aren't aware of the opportunities in allied health. "'We try to give them lot of exposure to different careers," said Nathan Samuels, the academy's coordinator. 'There's a lot of other good opportunities out there as well, some that take as little as six months, such as a program for an X-ray tech,' he said." The health academy is a result of a partnership between the school district, community colleges, health providers and funders. Read the full article
"Del Norte High School has received a grant to start a health-care career pathway from seventh grade into college called Med Start." Health career academies provide much-needed support and preparation to students who wish to enter the health field. "When Med Start takes off next school year, middle school students will get an introduction to careers in health care by taking field trips, ninth-graders will hear from the professionals in their health class and after that high-schoolers can take college-level classes." Read the full article
While racial and ethnic disparities in health care are improving, there are still disparities in outpatient care according to a new report by the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. Ensuring there is a diverse, culturally competent health workforce is one way to help improve quality of care. Read the full article.
"Even people who speak English fluently often find that conversations with healthcare professionals sound like Greek to them. So imagine if you speak only Greek or Spanish or Farsi and want to have, say, an in-depth conversation with an oncologist about the risks and benefits of an aggressive form of chemotherapy. Until recently, the most likely interpreter in such an encounter would be a family member, often a poor choice because he or she might be reluctant to share bad news or be unfamiliar with medical terminology." Read the full article
The move to electronic medical records is driving demand for health information technology workers. "A new Health Care Information Technology (HCIT) program is now being offered at Cosumnes River College. This certificate program will help fill the need for approximately 9,000 highly skilled healthcare information technology workers in California over the next five years, according to Health Workforce Development." Read the full article here.
While providing culturally competent care isn't limited to speaking the same language as patients, it is often one of the biggest obstacles to care. "Imagine developing a severe cough and teeth-chattering chills. You want to be seen by a doctor but no one really understands you: Not the call center operator with whom you try to make an appointment; not the receptionist who checks you in; not the medical assistant who takes your temperature and blood pressure. Not even the doctor who speaks quickly and uses complicated medical terms." Read the full article here.
California's aging population means we need more health workers, but particularly workers in elder care. "Health care providers, educators and advocates say the solution to the eldercare work force problem should focus on recruitment, training and retention of geriatricians and other specialized health workers." Read the full article here.
Like other sectors, health care unemployment rose in 2010. However, AMN Healthcare Chief Susan Salka still sees opportunity: "Even with the recession, health care has continued to grow, with thousands of jobs added during 2010. Over the next decade, health care reform will drive greater growth by giving millions more people access to health care. At the same time, a shortage of health care professionals is projected to grow as an overall aging population begins to use more health services, and physicians, nurses and other clinicians begin to retire." Read the full article here.
"California ranked worst in the nation for work force shortages in primary care, dental care and nursing," according to a new study looking at indicators of emergency preparedness. Growing the health workforce in California will not only better help us prepare for an emergency, but also ensure we meet the needs of a growing, aging and more diverse population. California also came in second to last place when it comes to the number of mental health professionals. Read the full article here.
This seems pretty obvious: Foreign-born Latino patients had a more positive perception of health care quality when clinical service providers spoke to them in their native language. William A. Vega, executive director of the Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging at the USC School of Social Work, came to that conclusion after a study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. Read the full article here.
Persuading third-year medical students to come to Fresno for training used to be a tough sell. Not this year. For the first time, students are competing to come here, thanks to an innovative teaching program that's available in fewer than a dozen places nationwide. Read the full article here.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Friday that it has awarded nearly $8 million for existing Community Health Center Cooperative Agreements. Part of the funding will go toward providing training and technical assistance for health IT implementation at local organizations that support community health centers. Read the full article here.
California is facing a dire shortage of workers to care for its growing elderly population, state lawmakers said yesterday in a hearing to address the issue. Elder care advocates, practitioners and educators spoke about the need to recruit, train and retain more geriatricians and other health care professionals. Read the full article here.
U.S. doctors must become more attuned to Islamic beliefs and values that could affect the physician-patient relationship with Muslim Americans, researchers found in a recently released study. This will become even more important as the U.S. Muslim population of nearly 7 million continues to grow, they found. Read the full article here.
As a high school student in the Inland Empire, Louisa Hanna enjoyed her classes in anatomy and physiology but she wasn’t sure what it would take for her to become a nurse, emergency medical technician — or even a physician. "I wanted to explore the possibility of becoming a doctor," Hanna said, "but coming from high school, I did not understand the amount or type of studying it would take to succeed as a pre-medical student." Read the full article here.
Southwestern College’s new Medical Laboratory Technician Program has become only the second civilian one in the state to win national accreditation. The 18-month program prepares students to work as technicians in medical labs. In addition to classroom instruction, participants are expected to complete a 26-week internship in one of 19 area hospitals and health centers that work with Southwestern. The Chula Vista-based college recently received $49,000 in U.S. Department of Labor funding to help increase the training available in clinics and hospitals. Read the full article here.
As millions more people become insured, the number of patients requiring services will dramatically increase. At the same time, Baby Boomers are affecting health care services - many are retiring from the health care workforce and, as they age, are in need of more medical services. Read the full article here.
Senior Alexis Garcia spends her afternoons balancing cheer practice, wrapping up her high school course credits and studying a demanding workload of medical terminology and procedures. Just 17, Alexis is one of a growing number of high school students enrolled in four-year medical programs aimed at giving teens a leg up on the competition as they explore a career in health care. Read the full article here.
San Diego County will receive $5 million annually over the next five years, for a total of $25 million, from the federal government to help poor people receive training to land jobs in the health-care industry, county officials said Tuesday. Read the full article here.
The Department of Health and Human Services on Friday awarded $130.8 million to strengthen the nation's healthcare workforce. The funds target six key areas: primary care workforce training, oral health workforce training, equipment to enhance training across the health professions, loan repayments for health professionals, health career opportunity programs for disadvantaged students, and patient navigator outreach and chronic disease prevention in health disparity populations. Read the full article here.
With the advent of national health care reform, millions more Californians will become eligible for health insurance in the years ahead, and numerous studies show that insured people go to a doctor more often than the uninsured. That translates into the need for more doctors and more skilled professionals to provide other medical services such as lab tests, X-rays and nursing care. Read the full article here.
California is preparing for a major expansion of support and funding for promotores – grass roots health workers who work within their own communities to reach out to rural, remote and otherwise underserved populations. Read the full article here.
Hundreds of low-income and unemployed residents in Los Angeles County are receiving job training and placement at local hospitals, clinics and pharmacies in an ambitious effort that taps into the growing need for healthcare workers. Read the full article here.
Elena Sandoval was expecting a baby and working long hours at Sam's Club last fall when she learned about a free medical assistant training program offered by North County Health Services. Although her due date fell midway through the course, she knew it was a chance she couldn't decline. Read the full article here.
Fran Beadles helps graduates of Kaplan College's Palm Springs campus launch medical careers. She works with health care providers across the Coachella Valley and elsewhere that are looking to employ medical assistants, medical office specialists and medical practice managers.Read the full article here.
In an attempt to address a national shortage of health-care workers, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Wednesday that the federal government will spend $250 million in programs to increase the number of doctors, nurses and other care providers. Read the full article here.
When Todd Wyman lost his job making parts for trucks and SUVs in June 2008, he started on a path trod by millions of unemployed workers in this recession: He retrained to do something else. Read the full article here.
President Obama's Bay Area visit last week highlighted his support for the green-tech industry, but for out-of-work Californians, the more important initiative may be the administration's little-noticed plan to give community colleges $2 billion in retraining funds over the next four years. Read the full article here.