Building Bridges to the Workforce System

www.SanDiegoAtWork.com - (888) 884-7397

Building Bridges to the Workforce System

Lawrence G. FitchPresident and CEO


Healthcare in the United States

$784 Billion

6.4% of GDP


U.S. Allied Healthcare Occupational Employment

0123456789

Million Employees

Practitionersand TechnicalOccupations

SupportOccupations

20042014


U.S. Allied Healthcare Occupational Employment

Fastest Growing Occupations:

• Home Health Aides

• Medical Assistants

• Physician Assistants

• Physical Therapist Assistants

• Dental Hygienists

• Dental Assistants


California Allied HealthcareOccupational Employment

0100200300400500600700800

Thousand Employees


SupportOccupations

20042014


San Diego Allied HealthcareOccupational Employment

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Thousand Employees


SupportOccupations

20042014



0.00%5.00%

10.00%15.00%20.00%25.00%30.00%35.00%40.00%

Total Growth

MedicalAssistants

PhysicalTherapistAssistants

OccupationalTherapists

Oc. Ther.Assistants

RespiratoryTherapists

Highest Growth Percentages 2004-2014



0100200300400500600700

Employees

HealthTechnologists

andTechnicians

MedicalAssistants

DentalAssistants

PharmacyTechnicians

RadiologicTechnologists

andTechnicians

Annual Job Openings 2004-2014



$0.00

$10.00

$20.00

$30.00

$40.00

$50.00

Average Hourly Wages

DentalHygienists

NuclearMedicine

Techs.

Speech-Language

Pathologists

OccupationalTherapists

PhysicalTherapists

Top Five Average Hourly Wages 2004-2014


San Diego Allied Healthcare Occupational Shortages



• Radiologic Technologists and Technicians


San DiegoEducational Shortfalls




“While the demand for certain allied health professionals has always been strong, we have seen a recent expansion of that demand to new areas. Interestingly, demand for some allied professionals has begun to outstrip the need for certain registered nurses.

We attribute this in part to fewer allied health professionals graduating within the region, higher educational requirements in many cases and a lack of visibility of these positions to both those that are considering new careers.“

--Michael PetersonPresident, San Diego Association for Health Care RecruitmentRecruitment Supervisor, Sharp HealthCare[Workforce Development and Recruitment Services]


Healthcare Workforce Shortages

• Vacancy Rates

• “Days to Fill” Rates

• Oklahoma Medical Facilities

• Speech-Language Pathologists


Implications: Quality of Care• Healthcare Professionals:

– Increased Work Loads

– Increased Stress Levels

– Lower Morale

• Patients:

– Increased Complaints

– Decreased Satisfaction


Implications: Access to Care

• Reduced or Eliminated Services

• Restricted Admissions

• Increased Hospital Financial Instability

• Overcrowded Emergency Rooms

• Increased Patient Waiting Time


Challenges:Recruitment and Retention

• Healthcare Labor Pool

• Diversity of Healthcare Professionals

• Turnover


Challenges: Skill Development

• Entry-Level Workers

• Incumbent Workers

• Targeted and Specialized Skills


Challenges:Education and Training

• Facilities and Resources

• Academic and Clinical Instructors

• Curriculum


Challenges: Program Structure

• Sustainable Partnerships

• Leveraged Funding and Resources

• Planning Tools

• Policy Issues


Opportunities: Great Jobs!

• Variety

• Pay

• Professional

• Advancement

• World-Wide Work

• Portable


San Diego Workforce Programs and Activities

• Convening education and industry

• High school health career pathways

• Research

• Planning


RecommendationsCreate Healthcare Collaboratives• Create Regional Strategies• Build Provider-Education Partnerships• Seek Additional Funding• Design Innovative Education and Training

Programs• Design Innovative Outreach Programs• Implement Policy Strategies


Collaboration Example: UCSF

• Focus: building a diverse, culturally competent allied health workforce

• Provides regional assessments of graduation numbers and diversity trends

• Gauges supply of educational programs• Measures demand for allied health workers• Give technical assistance to foundation staff,

policymakers, researchers and educational institutions

The Advancing the Allied HealthWorkforce in California Project


San Diego Workforce Partnership

www.SanDiegoAtWork.com888.884.7397

http://www.sandiegoatwork.com/

Building Bridges to the Workforce System

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