CHIP: Healthcare Workforce

Improved healthcare access through the healthcare workforce

When MAPP2Health participants discussed improving healthcare access in locality-specific workgroups, the focus often turned to community health workers and other peer health advocates as trusted resources in their communities. Community health workers reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, acting as educators, liaisons, and healthcare navigators for their clients, improving both the quality and continuity of care.

In the same vein, cultural humility and empathy, equity, and inclusion were identified as core competencies necessary but underrepresented in the healthcare workforce. Participants discussed the lack of diversity in medical school clinical training curricula and clinical providers, and how this was a disservice to patients. Research on the healthcare workforce aligns with MAPP2Health participants’ assumptions: The effects of diversifying the healthcare workforce are that patients are more satisfied, more likely to make healthy behavior changes, and more likely to have improved health when their provider is “in racial and ethnic concordance” (Harvard Medical School; US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health).

With this in mind, the CHIP objectives aim to improve healthcare access not only by expanding services to where they’re needed most, but by ensuring that those services are delivered by diverse, trusted, and community-conscious providers.

Workgroup Partners: Albemarle County Public Schools, Blue Ridge Medical Center, Clinical Skills Center in the UVA School of Medicine, Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, BRHD, Charlottesville Free Clinic, Community Mental Health and Wellness Coalition, Move2Health Equity, Nelson County Wellness Alliance, Network2Work@PVCC, Starr Hill Pathways, UVA’s Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, UVA Health’s Latino Health Initiative, UVA Health’s Office of Diversity and Community Engagement,  WellAWARE.

Potential Workgroup Partners for Community Paramedicine Objective: Charlottesville Fire Department, Albemarle County Fire & Rescue Community Risk & Resilience, Charlottesville Area Rescue Squad (CARS), Wintergreen Fire & Rescue, UVA Health’s Community Paramedicine Program

Overview of Objectives: The Workforce group is focusing its first goal on three main audiences: Clinicians, Community Health Workers, and Medical Interpreters. Its second goal focuses on inclusion in comprehensive plans for the five counties and expanding Community Paramedicine programs.

CHIP Goals + Objectives

Goal Objective + Sub Objective Convenor Contributor
Ensure providers and staff reflect the diverse patient population Clinicians (including behavioral health clinicians) reflect the diverse patient population
  • SUB OBJECTIVE: Increase the number of people of color and multi-language speakers who participate in local trainings and classes to join the clinical workforce
  • SUB OBJECTIVE: Improve simulations and scenarios at medical schools and clinical training (including nursing) environments so “Standardized Patients” are diverse in race, age, gender identity, and socio-economic status
  • SUB OBJECTIVE: Bolster and expand the clinical workforce pipeline
Community Health Workers (CHWs) reflect the diverse patient population
  • SUB-OBJECTIVE: Increase the number of people of color and multi-language speakers who participate in trainings and classes to become CHWs
  • BRHD Community Engagement Team
  • Nelson County Wellness Alliance
  • Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital
  • WellAWARE
  • SUB-OBJECTIVE: Create a network that will provide an opportunity for training, collaboration, and networking for the district’s CHWs and similar positions
  • BRHD Community Engagement Team
  • Nelson County Wellness Alliance
Medical interpreters are working in sufficient variety to serve a diverse patient population
  • SUB-OBJECTIVE: Incorporate medical interpreters into clinical training curricula
  • BRHD
  • SUB-OBJECTIVE: Create medical interpreter workforce pipeline
Expand the provision of health services in rural or underserved communities
  • Work with the business community, developers, and healthcare institutions (employers) to incentivize providers to practice in rural or underserved communities
  • BRHD
  • Albemarle County Comprehensive Planning
  • Nelson County Comprehensive Planning
  • Fluvanna County Comprehensive Planning
  • Assess current Community Paramedicine (CP) or similar programs and evaluate how to connect their network and expand their services
 Kickoff meeting to confirm contributors in April

FEATURED PROGRESS: As of May 2023

The Blue Ridge Health District has obtained a grant to launch a Community Health Worker/Outreach Network this fall. This professional network will include Community Health Workers and other similar outreach positions and will offer an opportunity for networking and training opportunities.

The Clinical Skills Center in the UVA School of Medicine is working to develop practices and provide opportunities to make the medical skills training environment reflect the community, and to create a culture that supports Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Starting with Standardized Patients – the patient actors in clinical simulations – the CSC is working with UVA’s Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, UVA Health’s Latino Health Initiative, UVA Health’s Office of Diversity and Community Engagement, BRHD, and a Move2Health Equity community partner to diversify the pool of Standardized Patients and improve their understanding of cultural humility and empathy, equity, and inclusion. The aim is to improve medical and nursing students’  clinical and communication skills and better prepare them to serve the communities in which they work.
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