The Washington Health Workforce Sentinel Network seeks your input on health workforce challenges and suggested solutions. WSHA highly encourages members to submit data to the Sentinel Network. Doing so will communicate workforce issues directly to policymakers to emphasize the importance of critical staffing shortages across Washington. The deadline to submit information is May 9, 2021.
The Sentinel Network is a collaboration of the state’s Workforce Board and the University of Washington’s Center for Health Workforce Studies. Gov. Inslee’s office and the Washington State Legislature supported the creation of the Sentinel Network to learn how to best support Washington health care employers in addressing recruitment, retention and skillset challenges. The data you provide will be kept confidential.
We know WSHA members are facing workforce shortages across many positions and specialties, and these shortages have been especially highlighted during the pandemic. This is an issue WSHA is taking very seriously and we have incorporated health care workforce solutions into the WSHA Strategic Plan. We hope to use data collected by the Sentinel Network to form a foundation for legislative advocacy in the 2022 state legislative session and convey the importance of addressing staffing shortages to our state’s decision-makers and budget drafters. Having clear, actionable data will be essential to driving change in policy.
As the former CEO of a rural hospital, I know that an adequate number of employees is essential to caring for the health care needs of your community. I also understand the high cost of travelers when they are needed to fill open positions.
In previous years, only 20 percent of Washington hospitals have submitted data to the Sentinel Network. Increasing participation by WSHA members is an opportunity for hospitals to show legislators that funding and policies to address health care workforce issues is a huge priority. By submitting your organization’s data, you will be making your voice heard directly to the state government leaders.
Data will be reported in aggregate form with data from similar organizations, and great care will be taken to ensure that no individual organization’s responses can be identified in reports. For any questions, contact healthworkforce@wasentinelnetwork.org or (206) 543-9797.
I strongly urge you not to miss this chance to communicate your staffing concerns and let policymakers across Washington know about your workforce challenges.
