Healthcare Human Resources Study for Huron and Perth: Addressing Workforce Challenges

1. Health Human Resources Study for Huron and Perth Prepared by: Harry Cummings and Associates With support from Sarah Curry

2. Overview • Summary of Sections • Introduction • Community Profile • Inventory and Challenges • Regulated • Non-Regulated • Additional positions • Volunteers • Training • Conclusions and Recommendations • Conclusions • Recommendations • Future Directions • What’s Missing • Thank You!

3. Introduction • There is an aging healthcare workforce, combined with an increased health service need for our aging communities • Without qualitative and quantitative data, it is challenging to gauge the availability of services • It also becomes a challenge to work with other organizations on HHR planning • Because of these issues, the Huron Perth Providers Council initiated a Healthcare Human Resources Study to develop a detailed profile of the current states and composition of HHR in the area

4. Community Profile Huron Perth • 60% live in rural (17 people/sq km) • Projected for 2022, the total population will increase 3.5% • Population aged 25-44 = 22% • Population aged 65 + = 18% • Unemployment rate = 6.8% • Average income = $63,011 • 21% have not received a certificate, diploma or degree • 12% have obtained a certificate, diploma or degree • 35% live in rural (34 people/sq km) • Projected for 2022, the total population will increase 3.8% • Population aged 25-44 = 25% • Population aged 65 + = 15% • Unemployment rate = 6.8% • Average income = $67,241 • 22% have not received a certificate, diploma or degree • 15% have obtained a certificate, diploma or degree

5. Community Profile Huron Perth • 43% adults are considered heavy drinkers • 24% smoke daily or occasionally • 52% report being active or moderately active • Inactivity increases with age • 48% consuming enough fruits and vegetables • 41% adults are considered heavy drinkers • 20% smoke daily or occasionally • 48% report being active or moderately active • Men typically more overweight and obese than women • 46% consuming enough fruits and vegetables

6. Inventory and Challenges Exploring regulated professions, non-regulated professions, additional job challenges, volunteers, and training opportunities.

7. Regulated • 2,489 positions across 26 professions • Largest profession is nursing = 57% of the workforce • Limited availability of full time positions remains a problem • Physicians =118 family doctors; 70 specialists • Pharmacists = 103 • Massage therapists = 100 • Dental hygienists = 82 • Medical Lab Techs = 69 • Medical Rad Techs = 57 • Huron County has a higher proportion of part time positions • Professionals nearing retirement = dentists, med lab techs, dietitions • Younger professionals = massage therapists and dental hygienists

8. Non-Regulated • Partial inventory identified 1,361 positions across 7 professions • The largest is Personal Support Workers • 61% of the positions • 48% part time • 32% full time • 81% casual in community agencies • Recruitment and retention challenge due to certification requirements • Reduces applicant pool • Food Service Workers is the second largest (223 positions) • Every entry level position is part time • Limited and inconsistent hours present challenges • Paramedics are the third largest (164 positions) • Most are full time (62%) • Activation workers and Communicative Disorder Assistants • Recent introduction of the certificate requirement • Difficult to draw workers from the local population

9. Additional Challenges • Additional recruitment and retention challenges were identified • Dietitians • Find it difficult to work in rural; wage gaps between hospitals and FHT • Mental health services • There is a gap in children services • Pharmacists (Family Health Teams) • Mostly part time; they can make more money in the private sector • Med Lab Technologists • Mostly part time; challenging to recruit good applicants • Social workers • Directors of care • Limited pool of qualified workers, high level of responsibility, stress, and limited remuneration • Executive directors

10. Volunteers • Are an important key to any healthcare organization, however, it is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit younger volunteers • The age of volunteers is increasingly • Programming would be impacted (reduced or eliminated) • Also a challenge to recruit volunteers to work in mental health • Students do find volunteering as a good way to gain experience in the field

11. Training • Many organizations offer professional development • Depends on resource and budget constraints • MedQUEST camp introduces students in the area to healthcare career opportunities • The Rural Work Placement program also allows students to gain experience in the field • HealthKick, in partnership with Georgian College, also provides local training opportunities • PN Program • FSW

12. Conclusions and Recommendations What’s next and Future Directions in Healthcare Human Resources

13. Conclusions • In Huron and Perth, those aged 65 and over are projected to experience the greatest increase • Canada’s workforce is also aging– mass exodus of workers is expected • Low rate of young workers in the workforce • Physicians: Intergenerational workforce • Younger physicians tend to work fewer hours and see fewer patients • Nurses: nearing retirement • Lack of full time positions; wage discrepancy between settings; leadership training is lacking for LTC; LTC is not promoted or desired by nurses; NPs play a key role, although can be challenging establishing themselves

14. Recommendations • Identify PD needs; coordinate resources to make sessions happen • Develop rural retention strategy • Develop rural volunteer strategy • Develop succession plan for Family Health Team Executive Directors and other Senior Management • Continue to support MedQUEST, Rural Work Placement program, and local training opportunities

15. Future Directions • MOHLTC should adjust policy and provide funding to support assistant positions for Directors of Care in LTC • MOHLTC should review role of RNs, RPNs, and PSWs to determine scope of practice • MOHLTC, MTCU, and training institutions need to collaborate in marketing / promoting nursing career opportunities in LTC • MTCU need to ensure that their courses provide orientation to the practice of nursing in rural communities • Clinical placements in rural communities

16. What’s Missing • 2010 data from HealthForce Ontario • More in depth review of self employed healthcare professionals • Other allied healthcare professionals who provide services to the community

17. Thank You