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The Healthcare Workforce Data Center, Year in Review

by Justin Crow

We ended 2014 by examining some milestones and trends in Virginia's health workforce in 2014. We'll begin 2015 taking stock of what we have accomplished here at the HWDC in 2014.

First, Some Statistics of our Own:

Surveys Submitted: 131,319*

Surveys: 22 Ongoing, 3 New

Profession Reports Published: 19

Workforce Briefs Published: 28

Occasional Papers Published: 2

Online Tools Created: 4

Blog Posts: 58

Tweets: 170

The HWDC CareForce Indicators

It was years in the making, but 2013 marked the first year we implemented our standard survey for all surveyed professions. That meant in 2014 we had some very powerful data to play with. And play we did. In 2014 we rolled out the HWDC CareForce Indicators, HWDC's CareForce indicators are set of indicators that offer easy to understand insights into Virginia's health workforce. They cover multiple dimensions of the workforce and allow for comparisons at multiple levels. But the best thing? Only Virginia has the HWDC CareForce Indicators, which means only Virginia has the depth of insight into the health workforce they provide.

Interactive Online Tools

Beginning in 2014, the HWDC highlighted some of the analytic capabilities of the CareForce Indicators in a series of online tools. Using the free Tableau Public package, HWDC rolled out its Regional CareForce comparison tool, a Region Detail tool, a statewide list of CareForce Indicators in the Virginia CareForce Snapshot and, finally, our Student Choice tool to help students explore health professions careers in Virginia. In 2015, look for tools examining the workforce by sub-industry and by MSA.

Upping our Social Skills

HWDC has been on Tumblr since 2012, but in 2014, with the help of DHP's Communications Department, HWDC increased its Social Media Presence. In a coordinated effort, we revamped this Tumblog to include greater insights and analysis on a weekly basis and matched it with a new Twitter account. The improved content and expanded presence has increased our visibility. HWDC now has 32 followers on Twitter and 52 on Tumblr. We are averaging 2,000 impressions on Twitter and more than a hundreds hits to our Tumblr pages every month. By comparison, we averaged less than 20 hits a month to our Tumblr pages in 2013.

Some New Friends

HWDC has enjoyed a long partnership with the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority. In 2014, the HWDC began participating in a number on new partnerships. We are involved in two pilot projects to implement minimal professional data systems nationally, one with the Federation of State Medical Boards, and one with the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Several states have taken an interest in HWDC's data system. We presented the system in webinars with the National Governors Association' Health Workforce Policy Academy and the HRSA-sponsored Health Workforce Technical Assistance Center (you can watch the latter by following the link). Within Virginia, we are working with the Virginia Longitudinal Data System to make our confidential data more available to qualified researchers, expanding our cooperation with the Virginia's Department of Health's Health Workforce Shortage Designations. HWDC is now included in the Council on Virginia's Future Workforce Development Scorecard, and the Virginia Community Health Impact Portal (V-CHIP). And we respond to various other requests for data and analysis throughout the year.

New Leadership

In 2014, we welcomed Dr. David Brown, DC as the new Director of the Department of Health Professions and Jaime Hoyle, J.D. as Deputy Director. We are happy to say they have continued the strong support HWDC has enjoyed through three Gubernatorial administrations representing both major political parties. Thank You!

Some significant losses

The Commonwealth of Virginia lost two stalwarts of health workforce policy in 2014. Ken Studer, Ph.D. was the Social Epidemiology and Shortage Designations Manager at the Virginia Department of Health. He remained at that role until he passed in June at the age of 72. Stephen Bowman, J.D., was a Senior Staff Attorney and Methodologist with the Virginia General Assembly's Joint Commission on Health Care where he focused on, among other health policy issues, health workforce . He passed suddenly at the age of 41 in early December. Both were leaders in the Virginia's health policy arena and the Commonwealth is diminished by their loss.

Acknowledgements

HWDC Director Liz Carter and I would like to acknowledge Research Assistant Christopher Coyle, Operations Manager Laura Jackson, and DHP Systems Analyst Mike Gallini, who do the bulk of the heavy lifting in all of our endeavors. We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the over 130,000 health practitioners who took the time to fill out our renewal surveys voluntarily during the renewal process. This level of participation demonstrates the commitment of Virginia's health workforce to their professions, and to the health and well-being of all Virginians.

Thank You!!!

HWDC Launches Twitter Account

HWDC is pleased to announce the launch of our new Twitter account. Our first tweets will post at 9:30 tomorrow morning using the handle @DHP_HWDC.  Be sure to tune in, connect, and join Virginia's healthcare workforce conversation.

We hope our foray into Twitter will introduce more people to HWDC's products so we can better inform discussions about health policy and health access in the Commonwealth and the nation. This post serves as an introduction to our products.  Or, for our current followers on Tumblr, a reintroduction.

HWDC Data Products

Profession Reports

The HWDC Profession Reports are the mainstay of the HWDC’s data products.  They provide a statewide look at the healthcare workforce on a profession-by-profession basis.  Profession reports are published following the end of the data collection period.  Profession reports include HWDC CareForce Indicators as well as more detailed information pertaining to the professions.

Virginia CareForce Snapshot

The Virginia CareForce Snapshot is a compilation of the CareForce indicators for all professions, statewide, in a given HWDC survey year.  The Careforce Snapshot, updated annually each spring, provides an interactive guide to compare CareForce Indicators across professions.  

Regional CareForce Snapshot

Produced in collaboration with the Virginia Healthcare Workforce Development Authority, (VHWDA) our Regional CareForce Products provide an interactive guide to the CareForce in each of Virginia’s eight AHEC regions.   Regional Reports are updated each spring.  

Virginia Health Workforce Briefs

The HWDC's Virginia Healthcare Workforce Briefs provide timely indicators of the strength of Virginia’s healthcare labor market in an accessible format.  Information in these briefs is based on data provided by the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and the US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The briefs consist of three series: Series 1:  State & National Employment (Monthly) Series 2:  Virginia Regional & Sectoral Employment (Monthly) Series 3:  Income & Compensation (Quarterly)

Occasional Papers

With a special focus on helping policy-makers make informed decisions, our Occasional Papers provide timely, relevant and in-depth background information on current issues affecting the Commonwealth and the health workforce.  Papers are posted out our homepage and are produced, well, occasionally.

For More Information

HWDC Website

Methodology and Glossary

Mission & Contact Info