 
HEALTH PROFESSIONS WORKFORCE POLICY COLLABORATIVE
In December 2008, the Colorado Rural Health Center, Colorado Community Health Network and The Colorado Trust hosted the first annual Colorado Health Professions Workforce Summit. The Summit brought together front-line health care providers, educational institutions, policymakers, economic development and workforce planning stakeholders to address the shortage of health care providers in Colorado.
Within the forum, the Colorado Health Professions Workforce Policy Collaborative also presented its initial recommendations. The Collaborative was convened by The Colorado Trust to define, develop and support public policy changes to the state's health care workforce. Comprising some 40 individuals representing hospitals, government agencies, research and policy organizations, educational institutions and health education centers, the Collaborative researched and studied health professions workforce challenges and opportunities, and began to develop a policy agenda.
Participants in the Workforce Summit used keypad polling devices to provide input and help shape policy priorities for Colorado's health care workforce - discussions focused on the following five policy priorities identified by the Collaborative: strengthening and expanding scopes of practice, increasing clinical placements and preceptor training, increasing funding for health professions education, developing a health professions workforce plan and supporting policy recommendations that expand provider incentives.
To learn more about the ongoing work of the Colorado Health Professions Workforce Policy Collaborative, contact Laurel Petralia, Program Officer, 303-837-1200, laurel@coloradotrust.org. Also, learn how the San Luis Valley Medical Center - a participant in the Collaborative - is making strides to recruit and retain health professionals.
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