Workforce

About Workforce

The shortage of health care professionals in California is deepening every year and affects every aspect of care. Statewide, more than 11 million people live in an area without enough primary care providers, and according to a UC San Francisco study of the state’s nursing shortage, it will take until 2026 to close the state’s current nursing gap. All told, California needs to add 500,000 new allied health care professionals by 2024 in order to provide needed care. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health care staffing shortagesMany front-line health care workers have reached their breaking point and are choosing to leave the profession altogether (hundreds of thousands of health care jobs have been lost since the pandemic began).

Rural and low-income communities are disproportionately affected by the scarcity — and there’s a second disparate impact we must address as the state works to rebuild a depleted workforce: According to the California Future Health Workforce Commission, people of color will be a majority of Californians by 2030 but are severely underrepresented in the health care workforce.

Each year hospitals invest millions of dollars in training California’s next generation of health care providers, but closing the massive gaps ahead will require additional long- and short-term solutions:

  • Partnerships among all who recognize the need to protect the health of Californians: employers, workers, policymakers, colleges, licensing entities, and others
  • Public investments in workforce training through college and university programs to both retain current workers and build a pipeline of future professionals
  • Regulatory changes to improve efficiency and transparency in licensing, address limitations on scope of practice, and enhance education and training for nurses and nurse assistants

5 Things To Know: Study Finds CA Bridge Program is Highly Effective, Funding to Continue; San Diego TB Prevention Education and Community Engagement Summit; San Diego Workforce Partnerships Substance Use Counselor Program; DHCS Publishes Quality Ratings for Managed Care Plans and County Behavioral Health Plans; Medicare Coverage for Behavioral Health Expanded

STUDY FINDS CA BRIDGE PROGRAM IS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, FUNDING TO CONTINUE: JAMA Network recently published a study highlighting the impact of the CA Bridge Program on opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment in emergency departments (EDs). The study found that 86% of OUD patients received buprenorphine in participating hospitals, with 50% continuing treatment 30 days after […]

5 Things To Know: San Diego City Council Declares Behavioral Health Bed Crisis, County of San Diego Emergency Medical Services, San Diego County Releases Draft APOT Policy, CDPH Releases New AFL on Covid-19 Vaccinations,CHA Releases FAQs on Implementing AB 1882 Requirements

SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL DECLARES BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BED CRISIS: On Dec. 5, the San Diego City Council declared a behavioral health crisis due to the lack of available behavioral health beds in the city. A recent survey of hospital members found that on any given day in the HASD&IC region, about 50 patients who are […]

5 Things To Know: Engaging And Supporting Refugee Communities – Free Training For Health Providers, Medi-Cal MCP Transition, Engage San Diego County Website, CHA Behavioral Health Care Symposium, ACEs And Toxic Stress Awareness Web Page

ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING REFUGEE COMMUNITIES – FREE TRAINING FOR HEALTH PROVIDERS: On Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to noon (PT), the San Diego Refugee Communities Coalition will lead cultural competency training — Engaging and Supporting Refugee Communities — for health care providers. It will include a comprehensive overview of the refugee resettlement process, shedding light […]

5 Things To Know: Flu Season Mandates, CDPH Leadership Updates, Behavioral Health Workforce Solutions, CalAIM Transitional Rent, Monkeypox Cases

FLU SEASON MANDATES: The San Diego Health and Human Services Agency has issued a health officer order reminding health care personnel of the influenza vaccination or masking requirement during flu season, beginning Nov. 1.    CDPH LEADERSHIP UPDATES AND DISTRICT SESSIONS: On Nov. 7 from 9 to 11 a.m. (PT), CHA will host its annual meeting […]

5 Things To Know: Prescription Drug Use Survey, National Health Center Week, Substance Use Disorder Residential Facility, Privacy Manual, CalAIM Training

PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE SURVEY: Physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, dental practitioners, and pharmacists are asked to participate in a needs assessment survey for the County of San Diego Overdose Data to Action grant. The purpose of this survey is to assess licensed health care providers’ perceptions of prescription drug use and prescribing opioids. Your feedback will provide valuable insight into the development of opioid stewardship recommendations and best practices for our region. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Responses will remain confidential and will be grouped with those of other respondents for reporting.  

5 Things To Know: FAQs on MCO Tax Agreement, Discharge Delay Survey, CA Bridge CME Academy, Community Health Workers/Promotores/Representatives (Chw/P/R) Model, Song-Brown Healthcare Workforce Training Programs

FAQS ON MCO TAX AGREEMENT: CHA has issued FAQs on the 2023 state budget agreement on the managed care organization tax. The agreement renews the tax and commits the majority of the funding to provider payment increases, including for hospitals. Contact Ben Johnson at bjohnson@calhospital.org with any questions.

5 Things To Know: Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan Transition, Information Needed, National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, Avian Flu, County Budget

MEDI-CAL MANAGED CARE PLAN TRANSITION: The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has released an All Plan Letter that provides guidance to all Medi-Cal managed care health plans (MCPs) regarding the 2024 MCP Transition, which is effective Jan. 1, 2024. In addition, DHCS has developed the 2024 Managed Care Plan Transition Policy Guide, which establishes and details the requirements for the implementation of the 2024 MCP Transition. The Policy Guide was initially published in May 2023 and will continue to be updated throughout 2023. All updates will be specifically identified in a dedicated section in the Policy Guide and will outline updates from prior versions in order to manage version history. The Policy Guide, which is also available on the DHCS 2024 MCP Transition web page, will denote effective dates and end dates, if applicable, to the specific policies contained therein. 

5 Things To Know: Medi-Cal Enrollment Systems and Disenrollments, White Paper, Supplier Diversity Reports, Overdose Prevention And Outreach, EMS System Plan

MEDI-CAL ENROLLMENT SYSTEMS AND DISENROLLMENTS: The current enrollment system (MyBenefits CalWIN) that hospitals, clinics, schools, and social service providers use to connect San Diegans to CalFresh and Medi-Cal will shut down on June 29. The new system, BenefitsCal, will not be available until July 3. As a result, hospitals will have to use alternate methods for assisting patients with Medi-Cal applications between June 29 and July 3. July 1 is also the first month that Medi-Cal beneficiaries will be disenrolled if they didn’t renew their coverage. Please reach out to Lindsey Wade at lwade@hasdic.org with any questions or concerns.

From Patient to Caregiver

Before Josue Ramos became a respiratory therapist at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, he was a high school senior and patient at the hospital.

5 Things To Know: Workforce, Health Equity Webinars, Behavioral Health, Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs

WORKFORCE: The San Diego Workforce Partnership recently launched the Healthcare Administration Pathways Program. This program will put participants with no health care experience (but preferable experience in hospitality or retail) through the UC San Diego (UCSD) Division of Extended Studies Revenue Cycle and Management Intensive Course at no cost to them. The partnership is working with UCSD, Rady’s Children’s Hospital, and Scripps Health to fill patient access representative I positions in hopes of diversifying the pipeline of workers. Participants who complete the course will also be eligible to sit for the certified revenue cycle specialist exam, which the workforce partnership will also fund. The San Diego Workforce Partnership is looking to expand partnerships with more hospitals in the region for this program.