Health Care Associations to Host Virtual Workforce Summit on Recruitment, Training and Retention

Novel working session on mutually effective and innovative ways to meet the health personnel service needs of all New Yorkers

ALBANY, NY — Health care association representatives in New York state are launching a first-of-its-kind statewide Workforce Development Summit to discuss models and strategies for health personnel recruitment, training and retention. The summit, co-hosted by the Home Care Association of New York State, the Healthcare Association of New York State, and the Iroquois Healthcare Association will be held virtually on Thursday, May 26, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

This summit is one of multiple Statewide Hospital-Home Care Collaborative components. The innovative workforce initiatives being highlighted present benefits to all system partners in support of delivering transformative medicine across sectors.

Following her clear prioritization of support for New York’s struggling healthcare workforce, Gov. Hochul has been invited to share her plans and vision for addressing these shortages to meet the current and future needs of New Yorkers. In addition, we will hear from guests representing varying disciplines and perspectives who will share ideas and models for building and sustaining the healthcare workforce at points along the pipeline.

This summit will highlight workforce development in several ways, including:
• what other states throughout the country are doing to build a healthcare workforce pipeline;
• perspectives from health disciplines (nursing, physical therapy, aide level, student) on the current status and future vision of health occupations;
• what’s needed to encourage entrance into the field and to support longevity and future evolution to meet personal and community health needs;
• a partnership between Cayuga Community College, several school districts and Oswego Health aimed at identifying potential health system employees early in their high school years; and
• the Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College model for pipeline development.

The Statewide Hospital-Home Care Collaborative is co-led by the Home Care Association of New York State/HCA Education and Research, Healthcare Association of New York State/Healthcare Educational and Research Fund and Iroquois Healthcare Association. Both the Collaborative and summit are supported by a grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation.

“The very essence of health care service is the clinicians and collaborative personnel who provide the care. Addressing the pervasive healthcare staffing shortages and overall under-capacity of the system for both current and future needs must be a societal priority,” said HCA’s President and CEO Al Cardillo. “This workforce emergency was growing prior to the pandemic, and has only been exacerbated since; it is the result of many factors and as such will require a multi-faceted solution. Our collective hope as partners is that this Hospital-Home Care Workforce Summit will fuel actionable ideas for implementation across the state to restore and fortify the critical infrastructure that is our health care workforce.”

“The pandemic has been a period of rapid transformation in health care unlike any we’ve seen before. It continues to significantly impact our workforce,” said Bea Grause, RN, JD, President, Healthcare Association of New York State. “Hospitals, home care providers and others across the care continuum are committed to working together to bolster the pipeline and support our current caregivers. We thank the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for making the upcoming summit possible and we look forward to engaging in constructive, solutions-focused conversations.”

IHA President and CEO Gary J. Fitzgerald said “The entire healthcare continuum has been under immense pressure the last two years.” Fitzgerald continued: “The HCA-IHA-HANYS Hospital-Home Care Collaborative ensures that health care is working together to tackle workforce issues. The Hospital-Home Care Workforce Summit is an opportunity for health care to come together, regardless of the type of care, to discuss real solutions that will bring much needed relief to our care providers and our patients.”

Learn more on the Statewide Hospital-Home Care Collaborative website, which includes collaborative resources and tools, as well as links to all previously recorded webinars to help chart future directions in care.

About the Home Care Association of New York State: HCANYS is a statewide health organization comprised of nearly 400 member providers and organizations delivering home- and community-based care to several hundred thousand New Yorkers annually. HCA works to support providers in the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective home- and community-based care for the state’s citizens. HCA providers include hospitals, nursing homes, freestanding agencies and health systems that operate certified home health agencies, licensed home care services agencies, managed long-term care plans, hospices, long-term home health care programs, waiver programs and an array of allied, supportive services entities.

About the Healthcare Association of New York State: HANYS is New York’s statewide hospital and continuing care association, representing nonprofit and public hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies and other health care organizations. HANYS is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance the health of individuals and communities by providing leadership, representation and service to health care providers and systems across the entire continuum of care.

About the Iroquois Healthcare Association: IHA is a regional health care trade organization representing more than 50 hospitals and health systems, spanning over 28,000 square miles, across 32 counties of upstate New York. IHA is the leading resource for facilities and professionals bringing quality health care to the region. IHA represents the unique needs of rural, small community safety-net providers to large, academic medical centers in upstate New York’s urban areas through advocacy, education and information, cost-savings initiatives and innovative business solutions.

About the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation: MCHF is a private, nonprofit organization with the mission to improve the health and well-being of the vulnerable New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of targeted communities, eliminate barriers to care and bridge gaps in health services. Named in memory of a tireless advocate for immigrants, children and the poor, MCHF provides flexible support for new and innovative approaches that enhance health and wellness across New York state.