Dive Brief:
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There is a disconnect between the needs of healthcare organizations and the skills delivered by educational institutions that leaves many entry-level healthcare jobs unfilled, according to a new report from The Advisory Board Company.
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With growth expected in the industry, there is potential for partnerships between healthcare organizations and educational institutions to establish pathways for entry-level candidates to enter healthcare occupations.
- Partnerships between healthcare organizations and educational institutions should focus initially on meeting demand for entry-level positions such as nursing assistants, medical assistants, and home health aides.
Dive Insight:
Healthcare organizations are having trouble filling many non-clinical, entry-level positions because there are either too few candidates or available candidates don’t have the desired skills, according to the report. Partnering with educators to better prepare students for roles in healthcare could give them opportunities for middle class incomes.
While the report focuses on non-clinical positions, it points to a larger problem healthcare organizations face. Finding employees qualified for any given role, whether clinical or non-clinical is increasingly difficult. Two-thirds of hospitals report rising turnover rates and one in five healthcare employees quit their jobs each year. Additionally, nursing positions remain vacant for long periods of time even when a shortage of nurses isn’t the issue.
Report authors recommended healthcare organizations work with schools to design curriculum that align with employment needs in the healthcare industry. The report also suggested that healthcare organizations look to underutilized candidate pools for qualified individuals. This might include, for instance, considering opportunities for high school students to enter a healthcare role immediately following graduation.