The Healthcare Education –
Industry Partnership
A program of Minnesota State
Colleges and Universities
Background on the Healthcare
Education – Industry
Partnership
• Founded in 1998 by Minnesota Legislature
as one of five ‘Targeted Industry
Partnerships’
• Continued funding and support from
grants and Minnesota State Colleges and
Universities
Mission of the Healthcare
Education - Industry
Partnership
Working in partnership to provide innovative
leadership to guide the education and
training of a high quality workforce in a
rapidly changing industry
Healthcare Education – Industry
Partnership
• Minnesota State Colleges and Universities –
educating 80% of nurses, 50% allied health
• Engage healthcare providers, state agencies in
strategic planning
• Led by Partnership Council
• Collect and analyze workforce data
• Identify and implement solutions
Initiatives
• Nursing
– Core Curriculum
– Clinical Sites
– Simulation
– Articulation
– Faculty
• K-12
– Youth
Apprenticeships
– HOSA
– Core Curriculum
• Immigrant and
Refugee
– Community Health
Worker
– Commission on the
Emerging Worker
– Career Pathways
Initiatives
• Nursing
– Core Curriculum
– Clinical Sites
– Simulation
– Articulation
– Faculty
• K-12
– Youth
Apprenticeships
– HOSA
– Core Curriculum
• Immigrant and
Refugee
– Community Health
Worker
– Commission on the
Emerging Worker
– Career Pathways
• Allied Health
Why Healthcare Providers
Should Care About Allied Health
• Healthcare shortages/fewer schools
producing healthcare professionals
• Other industries want our skilled workforce
• Provide most of the diagnostic data
needed for our providers to make
decisions
• Healthcare facilities could not stay open
without this skilled workforce
Allied Health Concerns/Issues
• Rad Tech
– General rad tech is stable
– Need for specialties – MRI, CT
– Possible loss of programs?
• CV Tech
– Small programs; none in the Twin Cities Metro area
– Incumbent training
– Entry-level personnel
• Dental Hygiene and Assisting
– Ability to address dental shortage through expanded
functions
• Clinical Laboratory
HEIP’s Clinical Laboratory
Workgroup
• Working together to address workforce
shortages since 1999
• Comprised of laboratory managers of
urban and rural hospitals, biomedical
industry representatives, Minnesota
Department of Health, laboratory
educators, Minnesota Hospital Association
• Meets monthly
Organizations Involved
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Aerotek
Allina
Children’s Hospital
DEED
Fairview Health System
Fairview-University Medical Center
HealthEast
Hennepin County Medical Center
Hibbing Community College
Kanabec Hospital
MDH
North Hennepin Technical College
Saint Paul College
South Central Technical College
University of Minnesota
Winona Health System
Shortage
• Documented need for 200 + baccalaureate
degree laboratory personnel annually
• Accredited CLS programs have a waiting
list
– 50% of students at U of M programs have a
previous BS degree
– 45% “diversity” in newest class
• In contrast, CLT (A.S.) programs have
unused capacity (50% filled in 2002) and
are trying to recruit more students
Shortage (cont.)
• Vacancy Rate 10-20%
• 120,000 incremental positions (12,000 per
year)
– 75,000 new jobs
– 45,000 vacancies (retirements)
• 4,100 graduates per year from accredited
programs
• Shortage = 8,000/year
Reasons for Increased Demand
• 70% of objective information used in diagnosis and
treatment comes from the laboratory
• Aging population needs care in increasing numbers
• Acuity and complexity of patient population increasing
• Automation improves productivity, but new technology
and new tests, especially DNA based testing, maintain
the demand for those with skills
• Expanded roles for clinical laboratory staff, both in
health care and the biotech industry
• Need for laboratory capacity to respond to emerging
infections, bioterrorism, emergency preparedness
Reasons for Decreased/Stagnant
Supply
• Other options in healthcare and industry are
more attractive
– Hours
– Salary
– Education
• “Unknown” profession
• Availability of educational institutions
Activities of HEIP Clinical
Laboratory Workgroup
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Legislative/Advocacy
New Curriculum Model
Biomedical Partnerships
Compensation
Histotech
Legislative/Advocacy
Subcommittee
• Advocacy Day in April and November
• Communication with others
– HEIP Policy Council
– Presence at public hearings
– Department of Health bioterrorism committees
– Hospital Association members/workforce
committee
Laboratory Education in MN
• 3 CLS/MT programs in the state
– Hennepin County Medical Center (8)
– Fairview (5)
– University of Minnesota (40)
Laboratory Education in MN
• 3 CLS/MT programs in the state
– Hennepin County Medical Center (8)
– Fairview (5)
– University of Minnesota (40)
• Stressful year for the laboratory
community which mobilized members to
preserve and strengthen the program at
the U of M
• Current outlook is good
Compensation Subcommittee
• Salary survey interpretations and accuracy
– How to help current surveys improve
– How to gather accurate lab-specific
information
– How to distribute and publicize salary
information
• Upcoming Survey
Biotech/Biomed Partnerships
• Medical Alley
• U of M program working with
biotech/biomed employers to meet their
educational needs
• Exploration of a biotech/biomed track at
the U of M
New Curriculum
• Feasibility of a curriculum revision or additional
curricular option for “core bench” MLT/CLTs
• Survey of laboratory managers
– Sent to 285 lab managers throughout the state
– Collected information on lab size and use of
MLT/CLTs
• The use of CLT/MLTs varies considerably
between urban and rural
• Several competencies being taught are actually
not required by rural providers but the time
investment those competencies require has not
been investigated
Histotech
• Newest subcommittee
• Just starting to strategize solutions
Conclusions
• Shortages Require:
– Expansion of programs – Metro & Greater
Minnesota
– Commitment to solutions
– Collaboration
Questions
?
Valerie DeFor
Healthcare Education – Industry Partnership
124 Myers Field House
Mankato, MN 56001
507/329-2140
valerie.defor@mnsu.edu