Synopsis "Health Care: Career Trends, Best Practices & Call-to-Action Summit"
Today, a confluence of events is compelling the health care industry to closely examine its employment and training practices. Health care reform, the aging of the "baby boomer" population and advances in technology have all triggered a need for a paradigm shift relative to workforce planning. Health care occupations dominate the list of jobs predicted to be in most demand in coming years, and there is simply not enough talent in the pipeline. People with disabilities have an important role to play in meeting the demands of a rapidly changing health care landscape. Not only can this population assist in responding to looming workforce shortages, it offers significant value and insight that can improve care. However, the employment rate of people with disabilities in health care occupations remains unacceptably low due to a range of barriers, both architectural and attitudinal. Reflecting these realities, DOL's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), under the leadership of Assistant Secretary Kathy Martinez and in conjunction with Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago, convened the Health Care: Career Trends, Best Practices & Call-to-Action Summit on May 17, 2011. Nearly 100 people participated in the invitation-only event, representing a diverse cross-section of stakeholders including health care professionals with disabilities, government agencies, service providers, business leaders, researchers and advocates from across the country (for a list of participants, see Appendix A: Participant List). In addition to the rich dialogue that transpired, the event itself was a milestone, marking the first time DOL/ODEP gathered thought leaders together to specifically explore the intersection between disability employment and health care-an industry at a historic crossroads and of consequence to all Americans. Brief summary: Five leaders from the health care and disability communities, both in Chicago and nationally, welcomed participants and shared their vision for disability employment in the health care industry in the context of their overall work.
