As an inherently interprofessional organization, the AAHC (now the Alliance and AAHCI) had an extensive history of publications, analyses, and participant discussions regarding many issues in health workforce policy.
Broad Workforce Policies
Effectively monitoring population needs and providing a matching workforce to address these needs is a continuing challenge for academic health centers. In 2008, a comprehensive landmark report was published on the need for strategic workforce policies, Out of Order, Out of Time: The State of the Nation’s Health Workforce. One result was the creation of the National Health Care Workforce Commission, as recommended by the report. The report focused on the need for coordinated health workforce reform as a key component of health system reform. The report was followed up a few years later with two additional publications with policy recommendations:
- A Call to Action: Out of Order, Out of Time (PDF)
- A Policy Framework: Out of Order, Out of Time (PDF)
Graduate Medical Education
Recognizing graduate medical education (GME) as a significant component of health care workforce training, a series of roundtable discussions were held around the country in 2015-16 to identify best practices and opportunities for improvement for academic health center programs and to better inform policymakers considering reform. The roundtables were part of an initiative to develop a broad understanding of best practices of GME programs as well as opportunities for improving such programs.
Programs included:
- Capstone Panel Discussion on the Future of GME
As a capstone to a series of roundtables held around the country on GME, in December 2016, a panel discussion was co-hosted with The George Washington University’s Health Workforce Institute. Panelists included the co-authors of the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM ) report on GME, the president of the National Academy of Medicine, and the chief public policy officer of the AAMC. - Summary of Regional Roundtable Discussions of the Future of GME
The AAHC acted as a neutral convener for a series of multipartner regional roundtable discussions (PDF) around the United States to gather information from academic health care leaders and other experts. - Perspectives on Health Reform: Graduate Medical Education
he Affordable Care Act’s implementation left many of the most pressing GME reform issues unaddressed. The challenges facing academic health centers suggest it may be time to form or expand partnerships with nongovernmental organizations to support GME in innovative ways. A report on health reform and GME (PDF) was issued analyzing the GME provisions in the Affordable Care Act.
Interprofessional Education and Practice
Academic health centers have a unique opportunity to capture synergies between the various health care disciplines. Over the years, the association partnered with a number of other organizations to advance this central component of the 21st century health workforce.
Activities included convening health professions organizations interested in actively promoting interprofessional education and practice and serving as a supporter and/or adviser at various times to several multipartner organizations advancing this important health workforce goal, including: