Recruitment and Retention Strategies
Preparing the Next Generation of the Healthcare Workforce
Originally published by the National Governors Association
July 2023
The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) collected strategies that states are implementing to address healthcare workforce shortages exacerbated by factors like retirement, burnout, and an aging population. The National Governors Association (NGA) launched a Learning Collaborative to share best practices and develop tailored solutions.
Key Themes:
- Peer-to-Peer Learning: States foster collaboration to share ideas rather than compete for workers.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Local communities and industry stakeholders are involved to better understand healthcare needs.
- Workforce Data: Collecting and analyzing data is crucial for informed policy-making.
- Employer Partnerships: Collaborating with employers helps create sustainable talent pipelines.
- Evaluation: Assessing program effectiveness ensures good returns on investments.
- Sustainability: Ongoing efforts focus on accountability and partnerships with local governments.
State-Specific Strategies
- California: Invested $1.52 billion in workforce development and created a coordinating role.
- Colorado: Set specific accountability goals and tracks progress through a dashboard.
- Missouri: Formed a taskforce to expand educational opportunities.
- Wyoming and Rhode Island: Developed comprehensive strategies involving multiple stakeholders.
- California, Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wyoming utilize ARPA funds to support training and recruitment.
- California and Colorado focus on recruiting community health workers and integrating foreign-trained professionals.
- Oregon analyzes workforce diversity data to inform equity-focused policies.
National Governors Association. (2023, July 17). Preparing the next generation of the healthcare workforce: State Strategies for recruitment and retention. https://www.nga.org/publications/preparing-the-next-generation-of-the-healthcare-workforce-state-strategies-for-recruitment-and-retention/.