Partnerships Address Workforce Shortages
A new partnership between the Health Tech Academy and Baptist Health System in South Florida aims to strengthen the regional healthcare workforce pipeline. This type of regional collaboration is presented as a potential model for Virginia to address its own midwifery and nursing shortages.
- Virginia is projected to have a shortage of over 20,000 nurses in the next decade, currently facing a demand for 82,540 registered nurses with only 57,720 available. By 2030, the demand is expected to increase to 87,130 RNs. - In response to the nursing shortage, Virginia has implemented programs such as "Earn to Learn," which secured a $4.5 million budget in 2024 to create more opportunities for clinical training for nursing students. Additionally, HCA Healthcare's partnership with Galen College of Nursing has resulted in new campuses in Richmond and Roanoke, which graduated over 170 new nurses by 2024. - A significant factor in maternal care access is the decline in birthing facilities; Virginia has seen a 25% reduction in birthing hospitals since 2012, with 19 hospitals closing their maternity care services. This contributes to the fact that approximately 31-36% of Virginia's counties are classified as "maternity care deserts." - To address the midwifery shortage, Virginia passed House Bill 1904, which will take effect on July 1, 2025. This new law authorizes certified nurse-midwives, licensed certified midwives, and some nurse practitioners to be included on 24-hour on-call rosters for nursery care when a physician is not available. - Research indicates that greater integration of midwives into the maternal healthcare system is associated with improved birth outcomes, including lower rates of maternal mortality, preterm births, and cesarean sections. - Financial barriers for midwifery practices are also being addressed through legislation. House Bill 1923 was signed into law to provide insurance reimbursement parity for Licensed Certified Midwives and Licensed Midwives, aiming to correct previously inadequate Medicaid reimbursement rates. - The Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority is actively working to target the healthcare worker shortage by directing scholarship programs and funding to the more than 100 cities and counties in the state that are most in need. - Efforts to expand the healthcare workforce are also being supported at the gubernatorial level, with Governor Glenn Youngkin passing several bills to increase funding for nursing education and Governor Abigail Spanberger launching "InternshipsVA" with a $14.5 million annual budget to create more paid internships for students.
