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At the March 1-3, 2006 meeting of the Montana Board of Regents, a presentation was given to the Workforce Development Committee on the recommendations by the Montana Primary Care Liaison Group. The report, "Montana’s Health Care Workforce: Review and Analysis of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Health Care Workforce Shortages and Recommendations of the Montana Primary Care Liaison Group", recommended the creation of a Healthcare Workforce Advisory Council with broad representation. The Advisory Council would provide guidance to the Regents and other stakeholders on the best strategies for addressing Montana’s healthcare workforce needs At the same meeting, the Regents’ Workforce Development Committee considered recommendations developed by the Office of the Commissioner
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of Higher Education with extensive input from key healthcare workforce stakeholders. That report also recommended establishing an advisory group to evaluate proposals and make recommendations on the most cost-effective options to train, recruit, and retain healthcare workers.
At its March 3, 2006 meeting the Board of Regents passed the following motion: Regent Semmens moved approval to submit a Healthcare Workforce Training Initiative in the amount of $4.0 million that includes development of a healthcare worker strategic plan, creation of data and program advisory groups, implementation of physician recruitment recommendations, expansion of up to ten WWAMI medical school slots, and development and expansion of allied health programs to address critical shortage areas.
As a result of that meeting,
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the Montana Healthcare Workforce Advisory Committee (MHWAC) has been formed. Representatives from healthcare providers, health professions education, healthcare associations, and state agencies will advise the Montana Board of Regents on strategies and priorities for the healthcare workforce in Montana.
The MHWAC will be facilitated by the Montana Office of Rural Health/Area Health Education Center. The ORH/AHEC Advisory Committee is fully in support of this committee’s work. The Bureau of Health Professions at the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has extensive information about the country’s healthcare workforce. For a summary report on Montana’s healthcare workforce, click here
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