Emily Henke, executive director of the Oregon Public Health Institute, told us during our recent Oregon State of Reform conference that her number one priority—like many in the healthcare sector—is supporting the workforce.
“I want to redefine who the workforce is in healthcare. I want that to be about function. I want that to be about the people who are doing the work … not just what kind of organization you work in, or the initials after your name—your credentials, your licensure—the health workforce is really everybody who contributes to community health, social determinants of health, healthcare, public health, and we do ourselves no favors by siloing it further.”
She said her organization is focused on establishing a whole-system approach to workforce development by bridging these silos.