Oregon Medical Group and the Future of the Healthcare Workforce
When Oregon Medical Group celebrated its 30th year of service to the Eugene-Springfield community this year, it revisited the underpinnings to its operations and mission. Its values quickly surfaced – leadership, professionalism and sustainability – and tie directly to the significant demand it faces for a well-trained and stable workforce.
“One of our core values is sustainability,” says CEO Karen Weiner, MD. “We mean that in a very literal way. For us to continue to provide the highest quality, patient-centered care we must have access to a high quality pool of workers. They don’t have to all have advanced degrees – in fact many of the shortages that the health care faces are in the areas where certifications or an associate degree are the only requirements to get started.”
The shortage of staffing is common in the health care industry; nearly every group in the area is experiencing the same challenges. At the same time, Oregon’s schools have elevated the importance of career technical education so that all graduates have immediate access to a career pathway – not just those headed to four-year colleges.
The opportunity for school-to-work pairings between schools and organizations is not new, but programs are becoming more formal in order to increase participation and access for all students. Specifically, OMG is developing a partnership with local school districts as part of the Health Pathways Regional Advisory Committee that connects students with healthcare organizations to further develop their pathway into the healthcare field.
For more information about school-to-work or CTE programs in Lane County, visit elevatelanecounty.org.
Brittany Mortensen, SHRM-SCP | Human Resources Manager | Oregon Medical Group
P: 541.242.4346 | M: 541.521.0423 | OregonMedicalGroup.com
