Page 34 - Skills 2022

Industry Outlook: Healthcare
PRESCRIPTION: BUILD A HEALTHY TALENT PIPELINE
BY AMY ROACH
NewYork-Presbyterian recently partnered with Iona College (below) to develop
the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School
of Health Sciences. Programs (pictured above and at bottom) include training for nurse specialists, medical technicians, and other in-demand professions.
In addition to serving the area’s population with top-notch care, the healthcare and life science sector in our region contributes some $18 billion in economic impact and employs well over
70,000 people. To say it is a crucial part of economic and business stability in Westchester is an understatement.
That’s why the stakes are so high when it comes to ensuring a pipeline
of talented healthcare workers throughout the Hudson Valley. As with many industries and sectors currently, the healthcare field is experiencing
a labor shortage — both nationally
and locally — that threatens to disrupt care. “Healthcare is probably the area where we have the highest shortage of workers. We’re seeing strong need for positions like certified nursing assistants (CNAs), medical assistants, and medical administrative assistants,” notes
Bridget Gibbons, director of economic development for Westchester County.
At White Plains Hospital, hard-to-
fill positions include those in patient accounting, medical coding, and other administrative areas, reports Diane
M. Woolley, chief human resources officer. “In addition, from a patient care
standpoint, we have openings in all areas of nursing, as well as for medical assistants and in the laboratory,” she says.
A nursing shortage, in play even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, is also a concern. The
New York State Department of Labor projects that the number of RNs and nurse practitioners in the Hudson Valley will increase by 25.8% and 44.3%, respectively, between 2018-2028.
TRAINING TO ADDRESS THE SHORTAGE
To help fill the healthcare talent pipeline, area business organizations, hospitals/medical providers, government agencies, and schools are working together on various programs to help build a steady stream of trained employees. The Westchester County Association (WCA) is leading the way when it comes to bringing these various stakeholders together on healthcare workforce development initiatives.
The WCA recently announced
the launch of its new, county-funded Healthcare Talent Pipeline Program (HTPP), which plans to recruit and train 100 job seekers and incumbent workers for high-demand healthcare
32 2022 SKILLS
What’s Hot. What’s Next. What’s Needed.
© Ben Hider © Ben Hider
© Ben Hider