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August 28, 2006
The American health care system is facing an increasing critical shortage
of skilled workers, particularly those with skills in nursing, radiology,
respiratory therapy, physical therapists and laboratory technicians.
At The Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH), there are more than 1,900 workers
who are 50 years of age or older. We believe there may be an important
opportunity to retain a significant number of employees in these critical
categories after their normal retirement dates, thereby expanding the
pool of well-trained and experienced workers.
JHH recently received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of
Labor with the Maryland State Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
to obtain information about the steps that may be taken to improve
the retention of older nurses and allied health workers within the
health care industry. We believe that one of the most cost-effective
ways to rapidly meet the workforce and skill shortages in our industry
is to do all we can to keep the people we have and to provide them
with a truly rewarding, long-term career in an industry that is vitally
important to and touches the lives of so many.
As part of the grant, JHH, Cedar Sinai Health System (Los Angeles,
CA) and Hospital Corporation of America (the nation’s largest
hospital group based in Nashville, TN) will reach out to 200 workers
to develop and organize 22 focus groups across the U.S. (JHH will conduct
six of these groups within the next few months). The select groups
of employees who will be targeted to participate in the focus groups
are:
• age 50 and older;
• recently retired or current employees; and
• nursing and allied health including radiology technologists,
respiratory therapists and selected other occupations
If you or your employees receive an invitation to take part in the
focus groups, please take the time to participate. The results of the
focus groups will be carefully analyzed and it is our goal to develop
one or more models that may be used to roll-out ways to increase worker
retention in the nursing and allied health fields. The focus groups
will be conducted by an external market research agency so your identity
will be protected. Thank you for supporting this effort. You will hear
more about the feedback very soon.
Sincerely,
Pamela Paulk
Vice President, Human Resources
Johns Hopkins Health System
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
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