California Health Care Foundation: Preparing For the Future August 23, 2017 Managed Care, Public Health California, CHCF, Health Care 0 Every day, the women and men charged with providing health care to California's 40 million residents work heroically. In helping people in California achieve healthier lives, this network of health professionals not only upholds the highest ideals of human care, it constitutes a formidable economic force that accounts for over 7% of the state's total employment. Yet in the next decade the health care workforce will face unprecedented challenges. The state's population is growing and becoming more diverse. The number of older Californians is projected to increase dramatically. Meanwhile, the cost of health care continues to rise faster than inflation. One of the biggest reasons these costs are so high and rising so fast is that we rely on a health care workforce that does not fit our needs. To ensure that all who need care can get it in the future, California must cultivate a workforce that delivers smarter, more affordable care. Today, the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) is proud to join just such an effort — the California Future Health Workforce Commission, an unprecedented opportunity to ensure that the talent we have matches the care we need. The 24-member commission, co-chaired by University of California President Janet Napolitano and Dignity Health President and CEO Lloyd Dean, is composed of top leaders in California health care, higher education, and business. This extraordinary group of commissioners has the vision, expertise, experience, and position to not only deliver a comprehensive, statewide plan but to help implement it after the commission completes its work. See below for the full list of commissioners. Over the next 12 months, Future Health Commission members will develop a master plan addressing these and other pressing workforce issues. Their work will guide the state, educational institutions, employers, and other stakeholders for years to come. We at CHCF could not be more enthusiastic about supporting a project that builds on so much of our past and current work to strengthen California's health workforce. We are excited to be joined by our colleagues at Blue Shield of California Foundation, The California Endowment, and The California Wellness Foundation in backing this effort. The Future Health Commission gives us an opportunity to accelerate the necessary transformation of our health workforce — so that it works for all Californians. I encourage you to follow their efforts in the coming months by signing up to receive regular updates. Good health isn't something that just happens to you — it's something you have to plan for. That's true for people. It's true for communities. And it's true for California's health workforce. Regards, Sandra R. Hernández President & Chief Executive Officer Comments are closed.
