NOHSIC Hosts Congressional and State Legislative Leaders to Focus on Healthcare Workforce Pipeline
On Wednesday, August 15, 2012, NOHSIC hosted a conversation with our legislative representatives on the Federal and State level. Congressional representatives James Renacci and Betty Sutton joined State representatives Nickie Antonio, Capri Cafaro, Zach Milkovich, Matt Szollosi, and Frank LaRose and NOHSIC systems for an information meeting to discuss current and future Healthcare Workforce challenges. The event was hosted by NOHSIC partner Summa Health System's CEO and President, Tom Strauss and included comments from NOHSIC partner Southwest General Health System CEO and President, Tom Selden.
NOHSIC was created to proactively address Northeast Ohio’s healthcare workforce shortage in every sector of direct patient care that is well documented and impeding economic growth in the region.
The Board of Directors includes the Vice Presidents and Executive Leadership Team Members of our partner Healthcare Systems. NOHSIC is unique for many reasons: (1) created by health systems
and continues to be driven by the health systems; (2) creates a new source for healthcare faculty; (3) represents a growing, high impact industry for Northeast Ohio; (4) creates collaborators out of systems often competing for workforce; (5) covers the 17-county region of Northeast Ohio; Despite unemployment, a state budget deficit, and a large number of unemployed workers, the healthcare sector in Northeast Ohio has the ability to create sustainable careers for long-term, unemployed individuals and continues to expand.
The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that of the 30 fastestâgrowing occupations between now and 2018, 17 will be in healthcare or medical research. By 2018, employment in healthcare is projected to increase by 21 percent or by 1.6 million jobs.[1]
Recent projections by the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that in the next 25 years, the retirement age population will grow dramatically in every state while, in most states, the growth of the working-age population will remain flat or decline.
As this group ages, the number of people in the labor force aged 55 to 64 is expected to grow by 33 percent between 2008 and 2018, and the number of people aged 65 and older is projected to grow by 78 percent.
The numbers of 45- to 54-year-olds and 35- to 44-year-olds areex pected to shrink as baby boomers age and shift into older groups.
The Ohio Labor Market Information Department produced a “Buckeye Top Fifty” listing of the top 50 positions in the State of Ohio with high-growth and high-wage prospects (2008-2018) and an average salary of $59,600. Seventeen or 34% of the careers were within the healthcare industry-the largest number of careers in one industry.[1]
In 2011, Healthcare and Social Assistance comprised 8.9% of Ohio’s Gross Domestic Product.
Health care is one of Northeast Ohio’s largest industries in terms of employment—Northeast Ohio hospitals (and their related health care facilities) employ an estimated 137,000 health care workers.[2]
Health care employment provides an economic impact on the region of an estimated $15.5 billion, including $6.2 billion per year in household earnings.[3]
NOHSIC actively seeks to address the workforce pipeline challenge through our new worker initaitives targeting our Military and our Immigrant Healthcare-Educated Workforce, our incumbent workers and building their education and training skills, and the developing of our future healthcare workers through marketing, internships and job shadows, and work experiences.
Tom Strauss stated, "The NOHSIC partnership brings a stronger unified front to workforce solutions and will assist us in competing for funding dollars from private foundations and government grants.
This will ensure we will have healthcare workers for years to come."
As healthcare systems, NOHSIC systems continue to struggle finding talent to fill our mid-skill level careers and hope to continue to relay our challenges and how we can leverage existing funding for our incumbent workers to build a stronger pipeline. NOHSIC hopes to encourage more Ohioans to consider healthcare as a career that can end their reliance on unemployment and lead them into secure employment.
For more information, contact Allison Motz, Executive Director, NOHSIC at: allison.motz@att.net or 216.548.2014.