Allied Health Workforce Shortages

Sally Whitten, M.Ed., PT Central Piedmont Community College

Who are Allied Health Professionals?

   All non-physician, non-nursing health care providers Represent over 200 professional fields Allied health professionals outnumber physicians and nurses more than two to one

Examples:

        Dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants Physical, occupational, and respiratory therapists PT and OT assistants Speech-language pathologists and assistants Audiologists Cytotechnologists Med. Technologists and Med. Laboratory Technicians Medical Sonographers          Medical Assistants Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Cardiovascular Technologists Dieticians and Dietetic Technicians Surgical Technologists Physician Assistants Radiation Therapists Radiologic Technologists Health Information Technologists

Current Identified Shortages

 NC Hospital Association 2006 Hospital Workforce Study   Pharmacists Laboratory Technicians       Physical/Occupational Therapists PT Assistant Respiratory Therapists Radiology Technicians Surgical Technicians Health Information Specialists

Current Shortages, continued

 Community College Survey       Radiologic Technologists Respiratory Therapists Medical Assistants Pharmacy Technicians Dentists Imaging (CAT scan / MRI)

Projections



US Bureau of Labor Statistics Projections of Percent Increase in Employment between 2002 and 2012

    Medical Assistants (63.2%) Physician Assistants (54.1%) Medical Records and Health Information Technicians (51.9%) Occupational and Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides (46.5%)        Dental Hygienists (43.5%) Dental Assistants (43.4%) Occupational Therapists (42.3%) Physical Therapists (38.3%) Respiratory Therapists (35.1%) Pharmacists (21.1%) Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians (20.7%)

Factors Contributing to Shortage

          Advances in treatment and diagnosis Improved survival rates after trauma and serious illness Increased acuity of patient illness in hospitals Population growth Increased population among older Americans who require more healthcare intervention Changes in settings where care is administered (home healthcare, outpatient treatment centers, etc.) Changes in staffing patterns to control personnel costs Specific shortages may arise in response to government mandated reimbursement requirements (coding, for example) Maldistribution of healthcare practitioners geographically Visibility issues

What Community Colleges are Doing

    Programs Offered (handout) Attempts to add additional programs and expand programs Collaborative agreements between colleges http://www.ncccs.cc.nc.us/Programs/docs/Ed ucation-Catalog/2007Chart.pdf

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Suggested Approaches to Address Shortages

   Continued, more extensive collaborations between colleges Collaboration between colleges and healthcare providing institutions Federal government support for Allied Health Education

Guidelines for Advising Prospective Students

        Academic Readiness Essential Math Reading/English Science Highly structured programs Costs beyond tuition Dependable transportation required Professional demeanor is modeled and is expected

The Rewards

    Job Security Professional Growth Opportunities Healthcare Professional Personally and Emotionally Rewarding

Questions?