The Missing Link: The Missing Link:

Health Care Workforce and Health Care Workforce and

Low-Income CommunitiesLow-Income Communities

February 18, 2005February 18, 2005

National Outlook: State of Health Care Workforce

GDP for health care is approximately $689.4 billion or 6.3% share of the national total (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2005).

Health care industry is predicted to add nearly 3.5 million new jobs between 2002 and 2012, an increase of 30% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2002).

From 2002-2012, 10 of the 20 fastest growing occupations are predicted to be concentrated in health services: Medical assistants (59%), physician assistants (49%), home health aides (48%), and medical records and health information technicians (47%). (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2002).

National Outlook: Top 10 Occupational Projections (By Growth)

Health Care-Health Care-

Related Related

OccupationsOccupations

2002-2012 2002-2012

Projected Projected

GrowthGrowth

2002 Median 2002 Median

Annual EarningsAnnual EarningsPostsecondary Postsecondary

Ed. & TrainingEd. & Training

Medical Assistants 58.9% $23,940 Moderate-term on the job training

Home Health Aides 48.1% $18,090 Short-term on-the-job

Medical Records and Health Info. Techs

46.8% $23,890 Associate degree

Physical Therapist Aides

46.4% $20,670 Short-term on the job

Physical Therapist Assist.

44.6% $36,080 Associate degree

Dental Hygienists 43.1% $55,320 Associate degree

Occupational Therapist Aides

42.6% $22,040 Short-term on-the-job

Dental Assistants 42.5% $27,240 Moderate-term on-the job training

Occupational Therapist Assist.

39.2% $36,660 Associate degree

Occupational Therapists

35.2% $51,990 Bachelor’s degree

National Outlook: Top 10 Occupational Projections (Jobs in thousands)

Health Care-Health Care-

Related Related

OccupationsOccupations

2002-2012 Total 2002-2012 Total

Employment Employment

ChangeChange

2002 Median 2002 Median

Annual EarningsAnnual EarningsPostsecondary Ed. Postsecondary Ed.

& Training& Training

Registered Nurses 623 $48,090 Associate degree

Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants

343 $19,960 Short-term on-the-job

Home Health Aides 279 $18,090 Short-term on-the-job

Medical Assistants 215 $23,940 Moderate on-the-job

LPN/LVN 142 $31,440 Postsecondary vocational award

Dental Assistants 113 $27,240 Moderate on-the-job

Medical Records and Health Information Technicians

69 $23,890 Associate degree

Dental Hygienists 64 $55,320 Associate degree

Pharmacy Technicians 61 $22,250 Moderate on-the-job

EMT and Paramedics 59 $24,030 Postsecondary vocational award

National Outlook: Challenges to Increasing the Supply of a Skilled Health Care Workforce

2004 U.S. Department of Labor ETA Health Care Industry Study Identified the following Workforce Challenges:

Recruitment and RetentionIncreasing available labor pool

Increasing diversity and seeking workers from non-traditional labor pools

Reducing Turnover

Skill Development Entry-level worker preparation

Incumbent worker training

Need for targeted and specialized areas of skills

National Outlook: Challenges to Increasing the Supply of a Skilled Health Care Workforce (Cont’d)

Capacity of Education and Training Providers Lack of academic and clinical instructors

Lack of facilities and resources

Lack of alignment between employer requirements, curricula, and specialized skills areas

Sustainable Workforce: Leadership, Policy, Infrastructure Challenges/Issues

Need for sustainable and adaptive workforce partnerships at national, state and local levels

Opportunities to leverage funding and other resources

Planning tools (data, projections, and information systems)

Policy issues (i.e. regulation, certification)

Boston Health Care and Research Training Institute

Began in 1999 as a pilot program “Bridges to the Future”

Led by Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation in partnership with Fenway Community Development Corporation and Mission Hill Residential Services.

Partnership includes 11 employers, 3 training providers, 3 community organizations.

Goal is to help economically disadvantaged job seekers and entry-level incumbent workers advance along a career ladder. (Pre-employment and employment components.

Greater Washington Board of Trade

June 2004 Potomac Conference focused on regional health care issues

Launched Health Care Task Force with 4 Work Groups

Employer Coalition

Health Policy

Wellness

Workforce

Commissioned FutureWorks to conduct a regional healthcare workforce assessment and analysis