7/03/2010
the Fifth Seminar begins tomorrow
The fifth Seminar begins tomorrow, the fourth of July and deals with the impacts now and in the future of the the recently passed health care reform act. The stage set with some recent references may be found by clicking on "Planned Segments" to be found on the right on the front page of the blog and then scrolling down to the fifthe Seminar. As usual, posts are welcome from all quarters. Names of those contributing and recommended references are especially valuable.
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Somewhat belaredly in this Segment I would like to introduce the notion of bringing retired clinicians and nurses back into the workforce as a partial solution to the staffing crisis facing community health centers (CHCs) as they brace to provide access to care for upwards of 15 million of the 32 million Americans to be covered under ACA by 2014.For the current 8000 CHC sites to meet this challenge will require doubling their capacity and staff, amounting to an additional 15,000 primary care clinicians and 11,000 nurses.
ReplyDeleteIncreasing the supply from
the "pipeline";further increasing the use of nurse practitioners and physician assistants; and doubling the contribution from the National Health Service Corps are all necessary, but likely insufficent to meet the 2014 need. Tapping into the approximately 200,000 retired physicians (40% with primary care backgrounds)and 800,000 retired nurses
offers one partial and temporary solution until an adequate workforce can be stabilized.
Our (American Health Initiative)experience over the past 5 years recruiting retired health professionals for volunteer service in Free Clinics suggests that this valuable resource could be applied to help ameliorate the coming CHC workforce crisis. Recently retired clinicians have much to offer and many are seeking opportunities to stay medically and mentally active in meaningful collegial
activity.
Bill Straub