Jeny Stumpf Kertz and I have written a summary of themes that emerged from the 12 community visits conducted Aug. - Dec. 2004. The document captures issues related to three themes: changing demographics, workforce development, and financing and economic development. The document has been informed not only by our observations and those shared by the many faculty that participated, but also by communities through their ongoing correspondence and engagement.
As a result of what we learned this fall, the Academic Health Center is convening a conference, Leading Change: Strategies for a Vital Health Professions Workforce, on April 14-15, 2005. Communities across the state will be invited to join the dialogue, which is designed as a action-oriented forum to encourage regional engagement to better understand and respond to factors that have an impact on the next generation of the health professions workforce of physicians, pharmacists, dentists, public health professions, nurses, veterinarians and others. We hope it will also be a venue to connect economic development strategies with plans for regional health professions workforce development. Please save the dates. More information will follow.
In the meantime, four additional community visits planned for last fall tour were postponed until the spring due to scheduling constraints. The first of those visits is St. Cloud, now scheduled for Feb. 14. These visits are an excellent opportunity to network with local communities, hear first-hand the challenges and opportunities for health professions workforce development, and demonstrate the University's commitment to health care in Greater Minnesota.
Community participants often include health care administrators, health professionals, K12 representatives, economic development authorities, chambers of commerce, local higher education academic institutions, social services, city administrators, etc.
Download summary report:
Pharmacy Workforce Web Site: Aggregate Demand Index
Preliminary Results from the 2004 Local Public Health Staff Survey
View Site: Minnesota Department of Health Community Health Division
Minnesota Workforce Analysis: Rural Supply and Demand
Minnesota Medicine
September 2004, Volume 87
Sally Buck, Vicki Trauba, and Ray Christensen
View site: Minnesota Medicine: www.mmaonline.net/publications