Turning the crisis on its head: How to revitalize the healthcare workforce for today and the future

Key Takeaways

• Uproot the underlying causes of the healthcare workforce crisis—while the pandemic accelerated the crisis, the root causes pre-date the pandemic. Causes include increased complexities and evolving demands for which workforce models have not been adapted, an already anticipated workforce shortage, and insufficient support of those on the front lines.

• Recognize that the healthcare workforce is comprised of individuals who need to be treated as whole people. The pandemic only added to your workforce's complex needs for belonging and support as individuals and employees.
• Revisit your structures, processes, and systems. Identify immediate steps you can take to become more efficient and agile. By making the right things to do the easy things to do, you can help optimize your resources and results.
• Rethink your culture—it needs to be a differentiator for your workforce. Establish how you will support your workforce and empower them to help shape the environment in which they work and improve the quality of care they deliver.
• Reconnect with your mission—that’s why your workforce chose to be in healthcare in the first place. Cultivate your employees' sense of belonging and purpose as they are actively plugged into making people’s lives better through work they are proud of across access, equity, and quality of care.

Featured Panelists

Terri Carbone, RN, NA, is a seasoned healthcare professional experienced in operational leadership, change management, process improvement, and process redesign in multiple clinical areas. During the height of the pandemic, she served as the Director of Surgical Services for Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

Elizabeth Conrad is a former Human Resources executive with more than 30 years of experience leading HR for complex healthcare organizations. Elizabeth provides consulting support to Chartis clients on a variety of human resources and workforce-related issues.

Christian Dankers, MD, serves as an Associate Chief Medical and Quality Officer at The Chartis Group, focusing on the expansion of clinical quality and high reliability care. He practices as a hospitalist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Kim Fox is a partner and leader of our Regional Health System Practice at Jarrard Inc. She has spent her entire career helping healthcare providers use the power of communications and engagement to accomplish their most important strategic goals.

Sally Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is the Chief Credentialing Officer with Chartis Clinical Quality Solutions. She brings more than 30 years of credentialing and privileging experience to her work with medical staff leaders and medical services professionals across the nation.

Duane Reynolds, MHA, is President of the Chartis Just Health Collective. Recognized as a change-maker within healthcare, Duane has helped to lead the national conversation around health equity and belonging.