Brief Survey: Healthcare Workforce Data

As the third largest state in population, Florida's healthcare sector and its workforce are critical to the overall well-being of Florida and its residents. Data underscores critical and prolonged shortages in healthcare occupations yet there is no single organization charged with addressing the needs of and developing solutions for this sector until now.

The Florida Center for Nursing in collaboration with the University of Central Florida is developing an implementation plan to establish a Healthcare Workforce Research Institute (HWRI). The HWRI will serve as the organizational nucleus of healthcare occupations data to support informed decision-making by healthcare stakeholders and to facilitate research and grant proposals that support a healthier Florida. Comprised of three research centers “ Center for Healthcare Providers; Center for Nursing; Center for Allied Health“ the Institute contributes to better healthcare workforce strategies through:

• Identifying supply, demand, and education distribution and trends in healthcare to support the appropriate planning for future workforce needs
• Directing and informing policies to alleviate shortages in key areas
• Identifying, evaluating, and sharing new approaches to address workforce challenges
• Ascertaining the cost-effectiveness of staffing with particular professionals
• Analyzing the effect of workforce supply on population health outcomes
• Estimating changes in supply needed to meet the demands of new forms of healthcare delivery
• Providing a statewide and regional forecast and perspective on healthcare workforce issues
• Identifying emerging and evolving roles and occupations in healthcare

Sustainability for the HWRI is being proposed as a subscription/membership program with opportunities for sponsorships, donations, external grant funding, special projects, and analytic services. The design of the HWRI and the ability to provide membership benefits will result from the establishment of a website with public and private (member) access to information. Though highlights of reports may be shared publicly, access to full reports and the ability to access data directly will be password protected. For example, an infographic highlighting supply, demand, and education information could be available to the public while a full report Florida's Demand for Nurses: 2015 Employer Survey could only be accessed by members. 

As a part of the planning process, we need to understand the level of interest in becoming a part of the HWRI. Please take 5-10 minutes to respond to 10 survey items so that your information is considered during this important developmental phase. A response by close of business Monday, August 7 will be greatly appreciated.

Survey link: http://HWRI_Interest_Survey  

Please know that information from this survey will only be considered in the aggregate. Thank you in advance for your input. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

HWRI Team of Advisors: 
Renee Thigpen, Chair
Florida Healthcare Workforce Initiative
Chief Human Resources Officer
NCH Health Care System

Susan Towler, Co-Lead
Florida Healthcare Workforce Initiative
Vice President
Florida Blue Foundation

Andra Cornelius, Senior Vice President
Business & Workforce Development
CareerSource Florida

Mary Lou Brunell, Co-Lead
Florida Healthcare Workforce Initiative
Executive Director
Florida Center for Nursing

Contact Information:
Survey@FLHealthcareWorkforce.org  
407-823-0981
www.FLCenterForNursing.org