On Friday, October 6, just over 30 healthcare employers, local educators, and interested stakeholders gathered at IUP Punxsutawney for a Healthcare Employment Roundtable.
The primary purpose was to openly discuss the critical shortages of healthcare workers, even more pronounced in rural areas. Included under the healthcare umbrella for discussion were physical health, home health, mental health, long-term care, and first responders.
The discussion included demographic data (local, regional, state, and national), the barriers and strategies of local employers, the academic offerings of local educators, and identification of future strategies to confront the issue as a local community.
