Healthcare Workforce Shortage
Pumping up Lee County’s Healthcare Workforce
As part of Healthy Lee’s commitment to enhancing access to quality healthcare in Lee County, coalition members of Healthy Lee are addressing the need for more physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals in our community. Healthy Lee is addressing education and training, as well as incentives and salary structures to help attract and retain qualified healthcare workers in Lee County.
To enhance opportunities for education and training for healthcare employees in Lee County, local educational institutions and healthcare organizations are delivering new and additional programs. Marieb College of Health & Human Services will offer nurse educator, doctor of nurse practice, and physician assistant degrees. Hodges University offers health studies programs for nursing and physician assistant positions, as well as health information management and healthcare analyst programs. In addition, plans are underway at Hodges to offer academic degrees in the growing field of healthcare informatics.
To develop family physician leaders in the community Lee Memorial Health System now offers a Family Medicine Residency Program in partnership with Florida State University College of Medicine. Expanded or additional residency programs are being considered. The goal is to recruit and train physicians who will offer affordable, high quality care for patients and families in Lee County.
Resources
- Florida Gulf Coast University, Marieb College of Health & Human Services
- Marieb College of Health & Human Services, School of Nursing
- Hodges University, School of Allied Health
- Florida Southwestern College, School of Health Professionals
- Florida State University Family Practice Medical Residency at Lee Health