🩺 Health Skills #1

This week in the Healthcare Labor Market, The New South Wales Labor Government invested $6M in Armidale health worker housing under a $200M plan, securing 120 properties to support 500 professionals and boosting recruitment, retention, and healthcare access in regional areas. Drive Health and Google Public Sector launched AI nurse "Avery" to address workforce shortages, enhance care coordination, triage, and patient engagement, and revolutionize healthcare with advanced AI and cloud technologies. Fractyl Health cuts its workforce by 17%, shifting focus from Type 2 diabetes to weight maintenance after GLP-1 exit. The move extends the cash runway to 2026 as Revita targets weight-loss maintenance.

ACCS expands healthcare training in 2025, focusing on Nursing Support Technicians. With 2,000+ vacancies, the Alabama Board of Nursing introduces a new credential to strengthen the 12,000–14,000-strong workforce. US states address healthcare shortages with grants and training: Iowa’s $3M apprenticeship fund, Washington University’s Bioscience Certificate, and WVNCC’s LPN-to-RN Bridge program backed by a $1M grant. Virohan & Mahajan Imaging partner for AI-powered healthcare training, bridging education-industry gaps. The initiative addresses India’s 5.8M AHP shortage, enhancing practical experience for students in real-world healthcare settings. 

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Healthcare Labor Market Trends

⚕️ The New South Wales Labor Government invests $6M in Armidale health worker housing as part of a $200M regional healthcare initiative. This four-year investment strategy will secure approximately 120 residential properties through a combination of new construction, refurbishments, and strategic property acquisitions. The program aims to accommodate and support over 500 healthcare professionals and their families, strengthening workforce recruitment and retention in rural and regional communities. 

🚑 Drive Health Launches AI Nurses in Collaboration with Google Public Sector. This collaboration is designed to tackle the healthcare workforce shortage and enhance patient access to care. "Nurse Avery" supports healthcare professionals by managing tasks like discharge outreach, care coordination, triage, patient engagement, and ensuring care plan adherence. The CEO of Drive Health views the partnership as a significant move towards revolutionizing healthcare delivery through the use of advanced AI and cloud technologies.

💊 Fractyl Health Inc. is reducing its workforce by 17%. Primarily impacting employees involved in Type 2 diabetes treatment as it refocuses on weight maintenance following GLP-1 drug discontinuation. The majority of affected roles are outside Massachusetts. This strategic shift is intended to extend the company’s cash runway into 2026. Fractyl’s lead product, Revita, originally developed for blood sugar control, has been under evaluation for weight-loss maintenance over the past year.

Healthcare Employment Reached a Record in April 2022

🥼 At the onset of the pandemic, job quits in healthcare dropped sharply. However, by early 2021, resignation rates surged beyond pre-pandemic levels, aligning with the broader economic shift known as 'The Great Resignation."

📊 The healthcare and social assistance industry experienced a 2.3% decrease in job quits by January 2024 compared to pre-pandemic levels, mirroring overall worker trends. However, burnout and staffing shortages continue to remain a vital concern within the healthcare sector.

🦠 Key factors driving turnover include burnout due to increased workloads and stress from COVID-19 challenges, lack of work-life balance, and dissatisfaction with organizational culture. Efforts to address these issues through improved working conditions could influence future quit rates.  

Upskilling/ Reskilling Intiatives

🧑‍⚕️ The Alabama Community College System (ACCS) expands healthcare training in 2025 to boost Alabama’s workforce. The initiative focuses on Nursing Support Technicians, a workforce of 12,000–14,000, with training support from the ACCS Innovation Center's Skills for Success team. To address 2,000+ vacancies, the Alabama Board of Nursing has also introduced a new nursing credential.

🏥 US States launch grants and training initiatives to tackle healthcare workforce shortages. A $3 million Healthcare Credentialing Grant in Iowa supports apprenticeships for high-demand roles such as registered nurses and lab technicians. Washington University’s CAPS program has introduced a Bioscience Technology Certificate, equipping learners for careers in medical and research labs. Meanwhile, West Virginia Northern Community College (WVNCC) has unveiled an LPN-to-RN Bridge program, backed by a $1 million grant, to help LPNs advance to RN licensure.

💉 Virohan & Mahajan Imaging partner for AI-powered healthcare training. The partnership aims to bridge the gap between education and industry, providing students with practical experience in real-world healthcare environments. The collaboration aims to address India's healthcare shortage of 5.8 million AHPs, who make up 60% of the workforce.

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