Healthcare Financial News

As the post-9/11 spotlight on shoring up the nation’s public health system fades, local health departments face a mounting workforce crisis as they struggle to recruit, train, and retain qualified workers ranging from nurses to epidemiologists, according to a research brief released April 16 by the Center for Studying Health System Change. Factors influencing the workforce shortage include inadequate funding, uncompetitive salaries and benefits, an exodus of retiring workers, insufficient supply of trained workers, and lack of enthusiasm for public health as a career choice, according to the brief, Public Health Workforce Shortages Imperil the Nation’s Health.

Shortages of critical personnel and deficits in key skill areas ranged from significant to severe across public health agencies in each of the six communities, with general agreement that public health nurses are the most difficult personnel to recruit and retain, according to the study. Read the research brief.

Former U.S. Senate majority leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell announced on April 16 the launch of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Leaders’ Project on the State of American Health Care. The project is an effort to produce politically viable policy recommendations to address the delivery, cost, coverage, and financing challenges facing the nation’s healthcare system. “All four of us have seen many legislative battles over health care in our careers. The time has come to put aside partisanship and put forward solutions,” said Dole.

The project is centered on a series of forums that will take place throughout 2008, each hosted by one of the four leaders. The first phase of the project will culminate with the release of a report to the public, Congress, and the administration that will include recommendations for reforming healthcare coverage and delivery. The second phase of the project will involve the leaders advocating their recommendations to key decision makers.

The first of the policy forums will be held on April 24, 2008, in Washington, D.C. The event will be chaired by Daschle and will focus on improving the quality and value of health care. Access the web site.