📍Indiana
Seeking Excellence Through Workforce Development
Challenge:
Clinician shortages and retention challenges impact all levels of care and nearly every medical discipline in health centers.
Solution:
HealthLinc overcame their workforce shortages in medically under-resourced areas by developing training and education programs to upskill their existing employees and create a sustainable pathway to bring new healthcare professionals into the health center. The programs supported career progression and workforce retention across multiple clinical staff levels, and included the following:
- Residency programs: Established training tracks for nurse practitioners, family medicine physicians, clinical pharmacists, and behavioral health practitioners.
- Certificate programs: Provided structured pathways to bring in and train Medical Assistants (MA), Dental Assistants (DA), and Expanded Function Dental Assistants (EFDA).
- Career progression support: Encouraged and supported internal mobility for existing health center staff, with success stories including staff advancing from MAs to nurses (licensed practical nurse and registered nurse) and to nurse practitioners during their careers. Administrative staff also received training to transition into medical or dental assistant roles.
- Partnership development: Collaborated with educational institutions, student internship/externship programs, grant funders, and healthcare partners to enhance and sustain ongoing workforce development efforts.
Impact:
✅ Over the course of its multi-year training initiatives, HealthLinc has trained and graduated 75 healthcare professionals across multiple service areas.
✅ Achieved a 60% retention rate among program graduates and helped staff advance in their professional education, which reduced expenses related to external recruitment.
✅ Expanded staff capacity through dedicated program human resources personnel, preceptors, and clinical trainers.
✅ Strengthened local healthcare career pathways and provided opportunities for staff to advance their careers within HealthLinc.