Workforce

The health care workforce is our most precious resource. Hospitals and health systems are committed to supporting them today, preparing them for tomorrow and building a pathway for the future. This report, developed under the guidance of the AHA Board of Trustees’ Task Force on Workforce and with input from many members of the AHA, will help hospitals navigate workforce challenges and opportunities, as well as highlight strategies and resources to assist on these pivotal efforts.

Strengthening the Health Care Workforce:

Strategies for Now, Near and Far

Section 1: Supporting the Team

Addressing Well-Being
Supporting Behavioral Health
Workplace Violence Prevention

Download

Strengthening the Health Care Workforce: Strategies for Now, Near and Far page 1.

Section 2: Data and Technology to Support the Workforce

Coming July 2022

Strengthening the Health Care Workforce: Strategies for Now, Near and Far page 1.

Section 3: Building the Team

Coming September 2022

Strengthening the Health Care Workforce Digital Toolkit

Featured Resources

Strategies for Rural Health Leaders’ Success In A Post-Covid-19 World

#WeAreHealthCare hashtag over composite image of health workers

#WeAreHealthCare: Workforce Videos

COVID-19 Workforce Solutions

Case Study: Innovation During a Pandemic

AHA Hill briefing on workforce challenges affecting patient care carousel image

Watch: AHA Hill Briefing on Workforce Challenges

2022 Talent Scan Report

Patient being treated in hospital setting

Workforce Data Brief

Creating Safer Workplaces

Trendwatch: Hospital and Health System Workforce Strategic Planning

Examples from the Field

Video and summary | Achieving greater workforce resiliency featuring Dr. Heather Farley, chief wellness officer at Christiana Care Health System

Podcast series | Leadership Beyond the Pandemic; resiliency, redesigning workflow and more featuring nurse leaders from Yale New Haven Hospital, VCU Health, Chilton Medical Center part of Atlantic Health System, and Saint Barnabas Medical Center.

Solutions from the field PDF | featuring 10 hospital examples developed during the COVID-19 pandemic that support caregiver well-being.

Behavioral health podcast | a discussion between Dr. Rod Hochman, AHA Board Chair and Dr. Robert Trestman, chair for psychiatry and behavioral medicine at Carilion Clinic and professor at Virginia Tech/Carilion School of Medicine
Addressing the Issue

Well-Being Playbook PDF |AHA guide for hospital leaders to develop and execute a well-being program

Compendium to lead with confidence and care | AONL Leading Through Crisis: A Resource Compendium for Nurse Leaders

Creating safer workplaces Podcast and PDF | A guide to mitigating violence in health care settings developed by the AHA and International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety
Advocating for Federal Support

January 27, 2022 – NYT Advertorial: Hospital Workforce Shortage Crisis Demands Immediate Action

January 25, 2022 – Data Brief: Workforce Issues Remain at the Forefront of Pandemic-related Challenges for Hospitals

December 2, 2021 – WSJ Advertorial: Supporting the Health Care Workers Who Supported All of Us

AHA Radio News Release: Action needed to address health care workforce ‘national emergency’

AHA Fact Sheet: Strengthening the Health Care Workforce

AHA letter to White House COVID-19 Response Team Coordinator | Urging investigation of price gouging by staffing agencies

AHA letter to FTC Chairwoman Slaughter | Investigate nurse staffing agency anticompetitive practices

AHA data brief on workforce challenges and related slide deck | outlining how current challenges threaten hospital and health systems’ ability to care for patients and communities

AHA briefing spotlighting workforce challenges featuring leaders from Advocate Aurora Health, MUSC Health, and Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital

Upcoming Events

(View on calendar.)

2023 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference

In-Person Event

Sunday, February 19, 2023 - 12:00

Capacities

Workforce Supply, Planning and Advocacy

Communities

Work Environment

Competencies

Workforce Competency Development

Catalysts

Creating the Future of Work: New Technologies and Models

The core mission of hospitals and health care systems is caring for people. To fulfill that mission, hospitals and health systems need compassionate, skilled, trained, and dedicated professionals.

Health care is a labor-intensive field, requiring 24-hour-per-day/seven-days-per-week staffing to achieve optimal quality outcomes. Investment in a qualified and engaged multi-disciplinary workforce is foundational.

To advance workforce issues, the AHA has developed a Workforce Agenda focused on the following priorities:

CAPACITIES: Ensure hospitals have sufficient workforce capacities, through a pipeline of talent that hospitals can hire, retain and grow, to be able to successfully support health in their communities.
COMMUNITIES: Support and tap into health professional communities to build resiliency and a healthy, safe, and diverse work environment.
COMPETENCIES: Identify, promote and develop required workforce competencies for current and future needs.
CATALYSTS: Provide tools, programs and services to be catalysts for member and field action to change and adopt new technologies and models for care delivery.