🩺 Health Skills #15

In this week’s update, new research revealed that the GCC could save $2.5 billion by investing in healthcare worker well-being, potentially boosting productivity by 25% and reducing turnover and absenteeism. In Africa, the UAE launched a $600 million Beginnings Fund to improve maternal and newborn health across ten countries, aiming to reach 34 million people. Curaçao announced a multi-year investment in its medical center, which includes $48.6 million for equipment and $1.7 million to enhance healthcare worker conditions.

In Canada, Ontario awarded $2 million to SEIU’s WorkersFirst platform to modernize healthcare training. In the US, Jefferson Healthcare launched a rural talent pipeline supported by $240K in grants, while WVU Medicine introduced new programs to build West Virginia’s healthcare workforce and address ongoing shortages.

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Healthcare Labor Market Trends

🧠 GCC Could Save $2.5B by Investing in Healthcare Worker Wellbeing. New research highlights how physical and mental strain among 800,000 healthcare workers is driving costs and reducing care quality. A structured wellbeing approach—including preventive, coping, and recovery strategies—could boost productivity by 25%, cut absenteeism of healthcare workers by 17%, and lower turnover by 11%.

👶 UAE Launches $600M “Beginnings Fund” to Transform Maternal & Newborn Health in Africa. Backed by the Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation and global partners, the fund targets 10 African nations, aiming to reach 34 million mothers and babies and to prevent 300,000 deaths by 2030 through skilled workforce training, facility upgrades, and expanded care access.  

🔬 Curaçao Invests in CMC Recovery and Healthcare Workforce. The government will inject millions into the Curaçao Medical Center, including $48.6M for equipment upgrades and $1.7M allocated to improve staff working conditions. Other plans include adjusting salary caps for specialists and covering care costs for undocumented patients to stabilize operations and enhance care quality.

45% of US Adults Worried About Paying Medical Bills

👥 In 2023, 28% of US adults postponed or skipped medical, mental health, dental care, or prescriptions because of cost, underscoring the ongoing impact of financial obstacles on access to necessary healthcare.

📉 Approximately 11% of adults report not having a usual source of medical care, and an equal share report difficulty paying medical bills for themselves or a family member

💵 Half of adults have little or no out‑of‑pocket medical spending, yet 45% worry they couldn’t afford medical bills if they were to get sick or have an accident. 

Upskilling/ Reskilling Intiatives

💻 Ontario Awards $2M to SEIU Healthcare's WorkersFirst Platform to Strengthen Workforce Training. Funded through the Skills Development Fund, this investment supports SEIU’s pioneering tech platform, part of its union-led healthcare training center - an initiative to modernize healthcare worker training, improve staffing, and reduce reliance on costly staffing agencies. 

🏥 Jefferson Healthcare Builds Rural Talent Pipeline with Grants and Hands-On Training to Address Workforce Gaps. Backed by over $240K in grants, including from Career Connect Washington and OSPI, the Jefferson Healthcare Workforce Development Program equips students across three Washington districts with healthcare career exposure, certifications, and college credit. 

🧑‍⚕️ WVU Medicine Launches Nursing and Workforce Programs to Strengthen West Virginia’s Healthcare Pipeline. With initiatives like a new 21-month hospital-based registered nursing diploma program, the Aspiring Nurse Program, and career advancement support for current staff,  including high school outreach through the MedEd program and tuition-assisted training for surgical techs, the company addresses the healthcare shortage by developing a skilled, homegrown workforce.

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