Tackling Tennessee鈥檚 Healthcare Workforce Shortage
After the COVID-19 pandemic engulfed the world, the blunt reminders of the transient nature of human life and the collective impact of disruptions to everyday behaviors changed perceptions for many industries and careers. A primary example is the healthcare industry that was exceptionally resilient, yet acutely impacted and severely altered.
The Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services contacted over 300 hospitals asking what they faced because of the pandemic, to which the overwhelming was a lack of staff and critical care equipment, causing difficulties in resuming routine hospital care. The states that already had a strained healthcare system because of existing socio-economic factors faced a relatively harsher blow, and one of these states was Tennessee. Post-, the Volunteer State is witnessing an increase in the demand for healthcare workers because of labor shortages and a growing number of baby boomers reaching retirement.
Accredited, nonprofit Western Governors University鈥檚 Michael O. Leavitt School of Health (LSH) is joining and to organize , a Franklin-based health conference that aims to discuss solutions that elevate Tennessee鈥檚 health landscape and address the state鈥檚 workforce shortage. The conference, happening April 16, will unite healthcare professionals, policymakers, community leaders and advocates to unearth critical healthcare issues unique to the state, discuss customized strategies and solutions and foster mutually beneficial collaborations that yield feasible action steps to serve the community.
鈥淭ennessee鈥檚 healthcare challenges need bold and strategic community-driven solutions to produce a strong, sustainable local healthcare ecosystem,鈥� said Dr. Herman Williams, president of Nashville-based healthcare consultancy . 鈥淭he overall healthcare system, especially as it relates to the rural framework, requires innovative approaches to workforce management to support the delivery of quality services. The HealthEQ Tennessee conference is designed to advance health quality in the state by evaluating and discussing the causes of healthcare challenges with the hope of鈥痙eveloping a multidisciplinary approach鈥痶o identifying long-term, sustainable solutions.鈥�
According to the , the state currently faces provider shortages in physicians, dentists and mental health care providers; meaning that many Tennesseans struggle with access to healthcare providers when they need one.鈥疉ccess to healthcare is not only for preventing, promoting and maintaining health, but also for managing disease.
The projects that the pandemic caused an unprecedented staffing crisis that will last well into the next decade, including an anticipated shortfall of 8,500 registered nurses through 2035. Prior to the pandemic, in 2015, Tennessee faced severe . Since 2010, the state 16 hospital closures, with 13 of those being rural 鈥� the second highest rate in the country.
鈥淭he pandemic has exacerbated our country鈥檚 healthcare workforce shortage, especially in states like Tennessee that already had a stressed pipeline of healthcare professionals,鈥� said Kimberly Kelly-Cortez, LSH senior associate dean and director of the nursing prelicensure program. 鈥淭he HealthEQ Tennessee conference opens doors for different stakeholders to come together, share thoughts and form strategic partnerships that advance localized innovative solutions for the optimization of the state鈥檚 healthcare workforce system.鈥�
The strategic partnerships forged at the conference have the potential to generate scalable and replicable solutions for the holistic evolution of the country鈥檚 healthcare system, especially for rural healthcare. Individuals and organizations that strive for similar goals are encouraged to come together and be a part of the transformative journey.
鈥淲骋鲍鈥檚 competency-based model of education, that promotes flexible and affordable learning, encourages students to fulfill their dreams of serving the healthcare industry within and around their communities for the development of a strong community workforce,鈥� said Kimberly K. Estep, chancellor of WGU in Tennessee and regional vice president. 鈥淭his conference is an expansion of our efforts to elevate the state鈥檚 healthcare landscape with a steady stream of competent caregivers ready to serve diverse communities.鈥�
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WGU鈥檚 Michael O. Leavitt School of Health, named in honor of the former governor of Utah and former , was established in 2006 with the mission to make a difference in the fields of healthcare, nursing and higher education through competency-based education. The school conferred 5.4% of all bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing across the country during the 2022-23 academic year (IPEDS 2023 Completion Survey).听
According to a , LSH represented more than 170,000 jobs in the healthcare industry and the school produced 17% of the nation鈥檚 registered nurses earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2021. The school has conferred over 118,000 degrees to more than 100,000 graduates nationwide and produced over 3,200 graduates from Tennessee. Learn more about the Leavitt School of Health (wgu.edu) and follow WGU on .
