Over the last two years, more than one million healthcare workers in the United States made a mass exit from the industry. Healthcare and education leaders are teaming up with a sense of urgency to fill in the talent gaps.
Last week, SPC President Dr. Tonjua Williams spoke on the Health is Wealth panel at Invest Tampa Bay 2022 Leadership Conference, along with the President and CEO of Tampa General Hospital John Couris, and EVP and Chief Marketing Officer of Ultimate Medical Academy, Linda Mignone. Pinellas County Economic Development Director Dr. Cynthia Johnson moderated the conversation about how education and healthcare are driving innovation and investment across a growing Tampa Bay.
“Ground zero happened in the hospital during COVID – it was a horrible experience,” Couris said. “However, through all of that, we learned how to innovate very quickly.”
Through the use of technology and the wisdom of workforce leaders, Williams elaborated on how SPC quickly pivoted during the pandemic.
“Prior to COVID, we were implementing technology to help train our students, but the pandemic forced us to speed up the process,” Williams said.
She also shared that coming together made a difference.
“We’re collaborating with healthcare leaders to learn about the skills needed and co-writing our curriculum with them to make sure the product we deliver is what you really need, instead of building in silos,” Williams said. “Our focus is to get students into high-wage careers and meet the healthcare workforce needs.”
Mignone agreed that co-creating the curriculum with healthcare leaders is the way to go to help solve the talent challenges.
The Tampa Bay region is perfectly situated to become a world-class city, and Couris believes intellectual capital is one of the key motivators to attract businesses to the area.
“We are blessed to have several great colleges and universities producing great students into important professions, which attract businesses to Tampa and the region,” Couris said. “TGH has facilities across all the major counties within the region, and a key component is healthcare and education.”
Collaboration is key to a thriving region. Johnson concluded the conversation by reminding attendees that being intentional, inclusive, and collaborative, but most importantly, innovative, is the key to meeting the needs of the workforce now and in the future.