An adequate supply of trained healthcare professionals is critical to the healthcare community's goal of providing accessible and quality healthcare. Healthcare providers have often faced cyclical shortages in nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare personnel. Future projections suggest that primary care providers – including general practitioners, physician assistants and nurse practitioners – will be in great demand with healthcare reform's emphasis on primary care.
NJHA works with several stakeholder groups to address workforce supply-and-demand concerns. The following organizations provide direction and resources for the provider community.
- N.J. Health Care Talent Network
This is one of six industry-specific networks established by the N.J. Department of Labor and Workforce Development to address the needs of key industries in the state, including healthcare. The networks gather qualitative data from industry employers and experts regionally to determine the current and future job/skill needs. NJHA supports the N.J. Health Care Talent Network through the NJHA Human Resources Executives Constituency Group.
- SETC Health Care Workforce Council
The New Jersey Health Care Workforce Council, part of the State Employment and Training Commission, was established through the New Jersey Health Care Workforce Strategic Plan Initiative. The Council was convened in December 2010 and is chaired by Robert P. Wise, CEO of Hunterdon Healthcare. It is comprised of high‐level representatives from 36 healthcare organizations; NJHA President and CEO Betsy Ryan serves on the council.
- N.J. Nursing Initiative
The New Jersey Nursing Initiative is a multi-year, $30 million project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Foundation, working to transform nursing education in the state. Its goal is to ensure that New Jersey has the well prepared, diverse nurse faculty it needs to educate nurses to meet the demand for health and healthcare in the 21st century.
- N.J. Department of Labor & Workforce Development
The N.J. Department of Labor and Workforce Development provides a number of resources to support the healthcare community in workforce development. They include Health Care Industry Cluster Information, the Labor Market Views newsletter, a special edition of Healthcare View and labor market demand occupations resources and lists .
- John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development
The Heldrich Center at Rutgers University provides employers, educators, nonprofit organizations, government policymakers and workers independent, reliable evidence about improving the education and training of the workforce. The Center's work includes specific resources related to healthcare.
