Council for Allied Health in North Carolina


V. Reports

Council Financial Report and 2006-07 Budget – Alan Brown No new updates. A reminder that the Council is finishing the first year of a two-year continuation grant from the Duke Endowment. AHEC received $1.3 million in non-recurring funds for Allied Health in general from the General Assembly in the May short session. These funds must be used by June, 2007. AHEC discussing with the universities and community colleges the possibility of developing/supporting clinical sites in allied health professions throughout the state. Update on current AH Job Vacancy Study – Alan Brown (for Erin Fraher) and Phillip Summers A quick summary of the second Vacancy Report which is now underway and will continue to collect data through November. An initial report will be made to the Council in the January meeting. To date, 1,800 ads have been collected: 1,000 from online sources and 800 from newspaper advertisements. An interesting point has been noticed in that vacancy priorities are different between the online and newspaper ads for the top 5 positions. Newspaper Sources (from top 1 to 5): Physical Therapist, Medical Assistant, Medical Technologist, Medical Technician, Speech Language Pathologist Online Sources (from top 1 to 5): Physical Therapist, EMT-Paramedic, Occupational Therapist, EMT-Basic, Physical Therapy Assistant Phillip Summers explained that the online search is using Indeed.com which is an online index (google like search index) that searches thousands of sites. In addition, secondary searches are done of the websites listed by the professional associations in the survey last fall. In addition, in response to concerns over the first Vacancy Report, more local newspapers are being surveyed throughout the state. Summers also discussed the problem of duplicity: same job being advertised in various venues, same job advertised for a long period of time, etc…The other problem is that certain professions may not advertise in either newspaper or online. In response to a question from the audience, Summers said that hospital human resources departments are not being surveyed. Federal and State legislative activity affecting Allied Health professions – Pat Porter Limited activity at the Legislature because of elections. PLEASE VOTE! Members and guests are encouraged to be informed voters. Please be informed about position of candidates on issues related to the Allied Health professions and health care in general. To view activity from the last legislative session, go to www.ncleg.net. Look up the report of the House Select Committee on Healthcare which includes information from the Subcommittee on Healthcare Workforce: http://www.ncleg.net/LegislativePublications/studyreportstot_5/healthcarehouse/defa ult.htm To view the budget items from the May 2006 session, go to http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2005/Bills/Senate/PDF/S1741v8.pdf Activities of the Executive Director – David Yoder The Impact of Allied Health Workforce on Economic Development in NC Conference/Symposium Friday, June 15, 2007 – this will be a one-day meeting to showcase the work done by the Council and to provide information to key stakeholders: university systems, community college system, professional associations, Legislature. To increase attendance by legislators, Friday was chosen rather than Wednesday on the advice of Peyton Maynard who pointed out that the Legislature meets Tuesday through Thursday. Legislators might stay over for a meeting especially if they are part of the program. Symposium Task Force will meet for the first time immediately after today’s meeting for a brainstorming session. January 3, 2007 Council Meeting Panel Discussion of Extended Degree Programs in Allied Health – professional doctoral programs versus Ph.D. programs Panel will include representatives of industry and the education system Possible professions to be represented: PT, OT , Clinical Laboratory Science Workforce Study “Allied Health: Jobs for North Carolinians” by Erin Fraher and Aaron McKethan in the October 2006 issue of Carolina Context – this outstanding new publication can be read at www.southnow.org Polysomnographer Tech Vacancy Study – Phillip Summers continues to work on this study; at the moment, there are no updates. Pat Porter points out that this particular study lends itself to a presentation by Fraher on the determination of need versus demand. As the Council makes recommendations for various programs, and in light of the upcoming discussion of clinical doctoral programs, the presentation by Fraher would be timely. Such a presentation would be of value to guide the Council in determining whether it is responding to need or demand, and to which should the Council respond? NCHA and Sheps Center Workforce Collaboration to analyze hospital workforce data is now underway, and may be ready to report at the June Conference. Executive Director Search Task Force – will be appointed by Executive Committee to search for Executive Director to start July 1st, 2007. Activities Council Flier updated – Queens University will be added to the private universities next year. Copies were sent to professional organizations that requested these for distribution at their state conferences. Association Booklet – getting ready for press Met with Health Care Works Coalition on September 20 Attended NGA Policy Academy Orientation Site visit on September 21 and October 16. Will do so again on November 2nd. Represented the Council at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for School of Allied Health Sciences at East Carolina University on September 22. Attended Open House for UNC Allied Health Sciences Department’s new home at Bondurant Hall on September 30. Delivered Welcome Speech as Master of Ceremonies for the day long celebration. Drafting letter of Council updates to Council Advisory Board Attended ASAHP National Meeting in Chicago on October 18-21 Attended NC Conference on Aging on October 25-27 and had a booth with the Council Display – many participants interested in the Council and its work. Submitted resolution to the Governor’s Office for Allied Health Week which is November 5-11. However, it was denied because the Governor’s office is no longer issuing proclamations for professional associations. Invited to attend the meeting of the Southern Allied Health Deans of Academic Health Centers in Charleston, SC on November 6-8. Will also make a presentation on the allied health workforce studies. National Governors Association Policy Academy on State Sector Strategies: Innovative Workforce Policies to Address Worker and Employer Needs The National Governors Association has implemented several programs to aid states in developing and implementing state sector strategies or initiatives as part of their workforce and economic development policies. These initiatives involve a specific industry; partnerships between employers, educational and training institutions, and other community organizations; and workforce solutions for displaced, disenfranchised workers or, in general, low- and middle-income workers. One of these programs is a year-long Policy Academy for a group of five states. North Carolina, Georgia, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Oregon successfully applied for the program. During the duration of the academy, experts in various fields from the NGA will assist these states in developing a state action plan. The states will also participate in group meetings and a national meeting. North Carolina is the only state that has chosen health care, specifically allied health, as the targeted sector. Projected job growth along with severe labor shortages substantiates the choice of this sector. Initiatives already in place within the state involving employers and educational institutions further validate the sector choice. The implementation of successful sector strategies in North Carolina will provide workers who have lost jobs in the manufacturing sector an opportunity for re-training in the allied health field with stable, well-paying jobs that offer career advancement. Furthermore, the individual plans developed by the states will serve as models for workforce, education, and economic development initiatives across other industry sectors as well. Several members of the Council are part of the core team (Pheon Beal, Kathy Heilig, Erin Fraher), or the home team (Tom Bacon, Jim Sadler, Stephen Thomas, David Yoder). There will be one more in-state meeting of the core and home teams followed by a meeting in Minneapolis of core team members to share expertise with the other Policy Academy states.