Through a partnership with the California Department of Health Care Access and Information, OCHIN will train 275 learners in one of three fields: medical billing and coding, health information management, and electronic health record analysis
Last year, the nonprofit OCHIN, which provides health IT services to more than 500 healthcare organizations across 47 states, launched OCHIN+, a learning and workforce development program designed to help community health centers address provider burden and unprecedented levels of staff turnover. Now OCHIN has been awarded a $15 million grant to support a new workforce development partnership in California that will help rebuild, strengthen, and diversify the healthcare workforce through job training and placement.
Founded in 2000 with a vision to bring high-tech tools to six community health centers in Oregon, today Portland-based OCHIN serves clinics working with at least 5 million diverse and medically complex patients across 47 states.
The four-year grant is funded by the state of California and managed by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI). Through the partnership, OCHIN will train 275 learners in one of three health information technology (HIT) fields: medical billing and coding, health information management, and electronic health record analysis. Participants will receive stipends to reduce economic barriers to training, and the program will assist with job placement following successful completion.
Identifying the need
A recent OCHIN network analysis revealed that members are experiencing a shortage of operational staff, which hinders health centers’ ability to function efficiently, affects patient access to care, decreases financial stability, and contributes to provider burnout. According to OCHIN Epic satisfaction surveys, more than one in three providers report feeling burned out following the pandemic, in part due to the increase in administrative and operational duties.
Meanwhile, a network analysis of 2018-2021 member data revealed that patient encounters at OCHIN member clinics in California began rising in 2021. While this follows a decline in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, the analysis suggested that the 2020 decline created a significantly increased patient need in 2021 even as clinic staffing dwindled.
Based on these insights and the direct input and experiences of nearly 50 OCHIN Epic members in California, OCHIN recognized that the current workforce is not sufficient to meet the growing demand for community care in California. In response, OCHIN leveraged its experience with workforce development and offered integrated solutions to help the state rebuild its healthcare workforce in a way that is more sustainable, skilled, and representative of the patients served.
“The entire healthcare workforce is still reeling in the wake of COVID-19 and we’ve seen firsthand the impact of staff burnout and turnover for our members and the patients they serve,” said Abby Sears, CEO and president of OCHIN, in a statement. “Through this innovative partnership in California, OCHIN and HCAI are addressing common workforce challenges while attracting, training, and placing new talent in meaningful, family-sustaining jobs that also help expand access to care for the wider community.”
