June 27 Chair File: Leadership Dialogue — Talking Workforce Trends with Erin Fraher, UNC School of Medicine

On this episode, I talk with Erin Fraher, associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine and research associate professor in the Department of Surgery at UNC School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, N.C. She also is director of the Carolina Health Workforce Research Center, one of five national health workforce research centers in the U.S.

Erin and I talk about trends in the health care workforce that have been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Erin suggests the fundamental questions for hospitals and health systems are, “How are we deploying [people]? How are we utilizing them to the best possible ability to keep them happy, keep the hospital productive and keep patients healthy and well?” She further explains: “It’s this notion of turning workforce planning on its head — from planning for professions to planning for patients.”

We also discuss diversifying the health care workforce while addressing broader community needs and ensuring workforce well-being.

I hope you find these conversations thought provoking and useful. Look for them once a month as part of the Chair File.

Watch this Leadership Dialogue video on YouTube.