Conditions underpinning success in joint service-education workforce planning
Date
2009-02-25
Authors
Purkis, Mary Ellen
Herringer, Barbara
Stevenson, Lynn
Styles, Laureen
Van Neste-Kenny, Jocelyne
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BioMed Central
Abstract
Vancouver Island lies just off the southwest coast of Canada. Separated from the large urban area
of Greater Vancouver (estimated population 2.17 million) by the Georgia Strait, this geographical
location poses unique challenges in delivering health care to a mixed urban, rural and remote
population of approximately 730 000 people living on the main island and the surrounding Gulf
Islands. These challenges are offset by opportunities for the Vancouver Island Health Authority
(VIHA) to collaborate with four publicly funded post-secondary institutions in planning and
implementing responses to existing and emerging health care workforce needs.
In this commentary, we outline strategies we have found successful in aligning health education and
training with local health needs in ways that demonstrate socially accountable outcomes.
Challenges encountered through this process (i.e. regulatory reform, post-secondary policy
reform, impacts of an ageing population, impact of private, for-profit educational institutions) have
placed demands on us to establish and build on open and collaborative working relationships. Some
of our successes can be attributed to evidence-informed decision-making. Other successes result
from less tangible but no less important factors. We argue that both rational and "accidental"
factors are significant – and that strategic use of "accidental" features may prove most significant in
our efforts to ensure the delivery of high-quality health care to our communities.
Description
BioMed Central
Keywords
Citation
Purkis et al. Conditions underpinning success in joint service-education workforce planning. Human Resources for Health 2009, 7:17