The Imperative for Strategic Workforce Planning and Development: Challenges and Opportunities

There is a critical need to elevate the discussion around workforce planning and development to ensure that it becomes a standing component of comprehensive strategic planning for hospitals and health systems, and not just a response to a crisis situation. The AHA's 2016 Committee on Performance Improvement (CPI) engaged hospital leaders and experts in the field to identify key workforce challenges. These are challenges that already exist today and are expected to be further exacerbated as transformation continues and pressures mount with the various dynamics of a changing payment and delivery system. The report examines challenges around:

• Rural health
• Behavioral health
• Educational pipeline
• Technology
• Community partnerships
• Regulatory and policy constraints
• Leadership
• Work environment
• Diversity 
• Role of human resources