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Building a Value-Based Workforce in North Carolina.
Erin P Fraher1, Thomas C Ricketts2
1director, Program on Health Workforce Research and Policy, Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research; assistant professor, Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina erin_fraher@unc.edu.
North Carolina Medical Journal
|March 11, 2016
Summary
The US healthcare workforce requires significant changes in education, deployment, and recruitment to meet evolving care models. Focusing on retraining, community-based settings, and accountability will enhance effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Health Policy
- Healthcare Workforce Development
- Medical Education Reform
Background:
- The US healthcare system is undergoing unprecedented transformation over the next decade.
- Changes in healthcare delivery and payment models necessitate a responsive health workforce.
- Existing workforce strategies may not adequately support future healthcare needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the current state and future needs of the health workforce in North Carolina.
- To propose actionable strategies for adapting the health workforce to evolving healthcare landscapes.
- To emphasize the critical role of data systems in informing health workforce policy.
Main Methods:
- Expert perspectives from education, practice, and policy were synthesized.
- Analysis of current health system changes and their workforce implications.
- Review of North Carolina's health workforce data system capabilities.
Main Results:
- A need for change in educating, deploying, and recruiting health professionals was identified.
- Key strategies include broadening the definition of the health workforce, retraining existing professionals, and shifting training to community-based settings.
- Increased accountability is crucial for aligning public investment with workforce needs.
Conclusions:
- The North Carolina health workforce requires strategic adaptation to meet future healthcare demands.
- Policy changes must focus on redefining roles, enhancing skills, and optimizing training environments.
- Sustained financial support for robust health workforce data systems is essential for effective policy development and implementation.