Every state now has access to Rural Health Transformation Program funding, and every state has proposed spending at least some of it on healthcare workforce development.
The $50 billion program distributes funds through 2030. That gives hospitals, health systems and state leaders a fixed window to turn dollars into people. However, executing on that goal is more complicated than it might seem on the surface.
Rural organizations have long recruited heavily from outside their communities, with mixed results on retention. This session makes the case for a more durable approach: advancing employees already on staff and preparing local residents to train and work in healthcare close to home.
Key takeaways:
- How to position education and workforce pathways at the core of transformation plans
- How to identify local residents with the potential to enter healthcare careers and help them train and work in their own communities
- Where leaders should start in the next 6 to 12 months
- How to measure whether workforce investments are working and sustain them after funding ends