Workforce Programs

We are New Mexico. It takes a team of New Mexican hospital workers to serve our communities.

 

Recent data shows that in 2022 alone, New Mexico’s hospital teams have:

• Performed over 147,000 surgeries.

• Delivered 17,000+ babies.

• Handled more than 900,000 emergency room visits.

 

Our state has a dire healthcare worker shortage. We are now competing with all other states for our workforce. Without a full spectrum of doctors, nurses, therapists, medical technicians and assistants, dietitians, administrative, custodial and facilities staff – New Mexicans cannot access the care they need, when and where they need it.

 

We must pursue strategies and investments to “grow our own” workforce, support those workers who remain and recruit more professionals to our state. The health, wellness and economic opportunity of our state depend on it.

 

NMHA actively collaborates with policymakers, healthcare, education and business organization leaders to turn up the dial on improving access to care through proven, workforce development solutions.

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Education Programs 

Expand education programs for nursing and other clinical roles. Ensure measurable outcomes.

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K-12 Pathway Programs

Invest in career pathway alignment programs from K-12 to post-secondary levels that allow education and training closer to home.

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Workforce Dashboard

Develop a New Mexico Healthcare Workforce Dashboard that provides a comprehensive snapshot of current healthcare workforce supply and demand, identifying gaps and opportunities, measures the success of state workforce investments and informs future government or private sector funding. It would go beyond who is licensed to who regularly practices in NM, how many are in our healthcare education programs and whether they remain to practice in our state, for example.

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Nursing Preceptors

Fund year-around, hospital nursing preceptorship programs.

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Expendable Trust

Establish an expendable healthcare trust fund. The trust fund would invest state general fund revenue for future Medicaid rate stabilization and for investment in local healthcare (e.g., clinical recruitment/retention, infrastructure).

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Recruitment & Retention

Support physician recruitment and retention through efficient licensure, adopting the physician compact, and increased loan repayment.

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New Scholarships

Fund healthcare career specific scholarships that include funds for student wrap-around support.