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"Closing the Health Workforce Gap in Califonia"
Sponsored by the Campaign for College Opportunity, Kaiser Permanente and the California Wellness Foundation, November 5, 2007
While all industries are projected to show major shortages of college-educated workers in California by 2020, "Closing the Health Workforce Gap in California" finds that these shortages have already hit the health care sector. Further, health care will soon be hit by the 'double whammy' of California's aging population, as older residents need substantially more care as they age and a generation of highly skilled Baby Boomers retires from the health care workforce.
The first study of its kind in nearly a decade, this report provides a comprehensive view of the health care workforce, including nursing and the 60% of the health care workforce known as "allied health." These technical occupations have educational requirements ranging from certificates and Associate Degrees to postgraduate education. Seventy-five percent of occupations analyzed face current shortages of graduates. The study found that California lags behind the rest of the nation in providing an adequate health care workforce.
The research was funded by Kaiser Permanente and the California Wellness Foundation and conducted by Health Workforce Solutions LLC. The study was sponsored by the Campaign for College Opportunity. The study also offers policy recommendations both specific to health care training programs and to overall educational performance.
Read some of the news coverage of this study:
"Help Wanted: U.S. has a shortage of trained health workers"
Los Angeles Times, July 27, 2008
"Health care - it's the hot field: Demand is expected to grow 26% in 7 years"
San Francisco Chronicle, November 6, 2007
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