Thursday, November 14, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Friday, August 30, 2019
Survey: Over 2,200 Healthcare Jobs Open in Hawaii
By News Release @ 9:40 PM :: 5329 Views :: Hawaii Statistics, Health Care, Higher Education

SURVEY: Over 2,200 Healthcare Jobs Open in Hawai‘i

LINK: Report

News release from HAH, August 30, 2019

The first-ever survey of healthcare workforce needs by the Healthcare Association of Hawaii shows more than 2,200 healthcare jobs open across the state, with an average vacancy rate of 10% and most jobs taking six to 12 months to fill.

The report also found that of 76 non-physician, patient-facing professions, 19 of them have no Hawai‘i-based education or training programs, and four of them are fields in high demand, such as physical therapy and RN case management. And while the local colleges and universities are graduating enough registered nurses, there is need for additional training for these nurses to transition to specialty practice within hospital settings.

Positions in greatest demand include:

  • Medical Assistants
  • Nurse Aides/Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)
  • Registered Nurses (RNs)
  • Patient Service Representatives
  • Phlebotomists

The report also details early outcomes of strengthened efforts by the state’s healthcare and education sectors to more closely align training programs with industry workforce needs. These include collecting and sharing fresh data, and talking on a regular basis with high school and college officials to discuss where progress can be made.

“We need to work with multiple stakeholders to better align Hawaii’s recruitment efforts and educational programs with healthcare’s evolving needs,” said HAH President and CEO Hilton R. Raethel. “It’s clear from this report that we must act now to address the growing need for healthcare employees.”

HAH serves as Hawai‘i’s hospital and healthcare industry trade association. It represents more than 170 organizations, including acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, home health agencies and hospices.

HAH’s Workforce Initiative, launched in 2018, is comprised of healthcare, education, and community leaders. While the demand for physicians in Hawaii is already well documented, there was a need for a deeper focus on the full, diverse spectrum of the patient-facing workforce, said Dr. Tim Roe, president and CEO of Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific and co-chair of the HAH Workforce Initiative.

He also said Hawai‘i’s aging population will create further need for healthcare services. Employers and community partners need to work together on making sure Hawai‘i can fill its healthcare workforce pipeline.

“It is challenging to recruit new physical and occupational therapists to work in Hawai‘i,” he said. “However, we’ve now been able to spark important discussions with Hawai‘i’s educational organizations about ways our two industries can partner to generate more qualified employees. This dialogue must be ongoing, so Hawai‘i can grow its own workforce and maximize recruitment.”

Workforce Initiative Co-Chair Carl Hinson, director of workforce development at Hawai’i Pacific Health, said, “As a sector, healthcare competes for employees just like other sectors do. We need to market healthcare to our children and portray it as a good, viable way to make a living. Students can, with the right training in high school, start working right after graduating and can go on to do well in various professions with additional education.”

HAH’s research will be updated every two years and is the result of intense collaboration within the industry, as well as with community and education leaders.

Several Hawai‘i healthcare organizations have launched programs to recruit, educate and train employees:

  • Through opportunities such as the COPE Health Scholars Program at Adventist Health Castle and the Health Careers Summer Internship Program at Hawai‘i Pacific Health, students interested in healthcare fields are given the opportunity to gain first-hand exposure to care delivery alongside professionals in clinical and administrative settings. There may be opportunities to expand these programs to other facilities;
  • Hawai’i Pacific Health (HPH’s) pilot medical assistant program with five Oahu high schools—expanding to 12 schools in the fall;
  • The Queen’s Health System partnership with the University of Hawaii and Kapiolani Community College for medical assistant education and hands-on training;
  • HPH and Ohana Pacific Management Company’s training of nurse aids for 44 Pearl City High School students, with plans to expand; and
  • Hale Makua Health Services’ partnership with the University of Hawaii Maui Community College for Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) education, which saw its first graduates in January 2018.

About the Healthcare Association of Hawaii

The Healthcare Association of Hawaii (HAH) is the nonprofit trade organization serving Hawai‘i’s hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, home care companies, and hospices. It is the state affiliate for national organizations that include the American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living, and the National Association for Home Care and Hospice. For more information, go to HAH.org.  

Big Q: Have you noticed, or been affected by, the shortage of health care professionals in Hawaii? 

SA Editorial: Health careers should start here

SA: Health care shortage leaves Hawaii hurting 

CB: Wanted: 2,000 Workers to Fill Health Care Jobs In Hawaii

KITV: 10% of Hawaii healthcare jobs go unfilled due to lack of in-state training  

PBN: Over 2,000 healthcare positions open in Hawaii, state survey finds 

AP:  Hawaii’s supply of doctors is the lowest since 2015

PBN: By the numbers: State report shows extent of gaps in healthcare workforce 

MN:  Maui County’s doctor shortage grows

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii