Scenario

Assume the role of the chief operations strategist for a multi-specialty health care organization. You have determined that the organization could benefit from creating a workforce management strategy for the purpose of optimizing staffing levels. With worsening staffing shortages in critical areas such as nursing and primary care physicians, there is a concern that staffing shortages will result in higher labor costs across the healthcare spectrum. This could pose a significant challenge to the goal of balancing costs, quality and access to care.

Instructions

Draft a memo to the CEO outlining a plan to develop a strategy for optimizing your organization’s workforce management strategy. Your memo should:

• Describe the looming shortages of critical supply areas (nursing shortages, primary care physician shortages, etc.);
• Explain the impact of the growing baby boom population on the system and how their complex needs may affect the cost, access, and quality of care;
• Assess the use of analytics in optimizing recruitment and retention efforts for healthcare workers in critical roles;
• Advocate for value-based strategies such as virtual care (telehealth) and other patient-support roles such as health educators and community health workers.

Conclude your memo with a discussion on how workforce management strategies and value-based strategies may improve operational efficiency.