DANVILLE, Va. (WDBJ) – A major partnership in Southside is looking to strengthen the region’s healthcare workforce.
It’s part of a statewide initiative called the Virginia Partnership for Health Science Careers, led by former state Secretary of Health Dr. Bill Hazel.
“Every region of Virginia is unique, but they have common issues,” said Dr. Bill Hazel, Claude Moore Opportunities Chief Executive Officer. ”They need healthcare workers to meet current patient demand, and we know that the citizens in most areas need good paying jobs. So, if we work in a collaborative fashion regionally, we think we can address both challenges simultaneously.”
Over 1,100 nurses and 130 higher level educators are needed to meet Southern Virginia’s healthcare demands, according to a study by George Mason University.
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research is leading the effort in the southside region to address the shortage. The Institute is partnering with 90 local organizations, including healthcare providers like SOVAH Health and Sentara, schools like DCC and Patrick & Henry Community College, and nonprofits.
The groups have quarterly meetings in person.
“We’re trying to bring those employer voices together to understand what their pain point is, what is something that we could all work on together to resolve the issue,” said Dr. Julie Brown, Vice President of Advanced Learning at IALR. “Because each of us working in silos doesn’t create opportunity and doesn’t solve a problem.”
The partnership’s focus is to educate youth about local opportunities in healthcare, as Dr. Brown says the distance to large healthcare markets can be a deterrent. She says they have already accomplished starting the first EMT apprenticeship program in the state, in Danville.
