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MCC Daily Tribune

Dr. Burt-Nanna Named to SUNY Task Force to Address Statewide Health Care Workforce Shortage

SUNY issued the following announcement on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023:

As New York State continues to work to fill a projected gap in health care professionals, particularly in the field of nursing, State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. has convened a new SUNY-wide "Future of Health Care Workforce Task Force," which represents campuses educating more than half of SUNY's overall health care enrollment. The task force will focus on expanding SUNY's educational capacity in health care profession shortage areas, strengthening the pipeline of students in professions that have been hit hardest, and aligning education with health care industry needs.

"The ongoing shortage of health care professionals poses a significant long-term threat to our state's ability to provide high-quality care to New Yorkers, and SUNY is a key part of the solution. As such, we must take immediate and concerted steps to ensure the availability of a highly trained, diverse, and sustainable health care workforce," said SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. "One step, which has already been taken thanks to Governor Hochul and our legislative partners, is to provide nursing students the opportunity to complete one-third of their clinical work in a high-quality simulated environment, which will further enhance their success. Through the input of this task force, SUNY will continue to advocate for expanded innovation for this life-saving industry."

Task force members include:

  • SUNY Board Trustee Eric Corngold
  • SUNY Board Trustee Robert J. Duffy
  • Dr. Harvey Stenger, Binghamton University, President
  • Dr. Allison Brashear, MD, MBA, University at Buffalo, Vice President for Health Sciences and Dean of Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
  • Dr. Heidi MacPherson, SUNY Brockport, President
  • Dr. Tony Hawkins, SUNY Broome, President
  • Dr. Wayne Riley, MD, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, President
  • Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna, Monroe Community College, President
  • Dr. Harold Paz, Stony Brook University, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and Chief Executive Officer of Stony Brook University Medicine
  • Dr. Mantosh Dewan, MD, Upstate Medical University, President
  • Dr. Belinda Miles, SUNY Westchester Community College, President

"The challenges we face with the shortage of health care professionals in our state are daunting. Building on the work of our recent summit to address the shortage of nurse educators, Monroe Community College is committed to continuing our work with our SUNY colleagues to find innovative ways to address this vital issue," said Monroe Community College President DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna said.

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that overall employment in health care occupations is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2021 to 2031. With a 7.5% share of total health care employment across the nation, New York ranks third among all U.S. states in health care workforce contribution, positioning the state to experience a more pronounced impact from a shortage of health care professionals.

Workgroups within the task force will represent higher education, health care providers and associations, workforce and continuing education, simulation experts, and more. Where applicable, the task force will consult with national experts, organized labor organizations, state agencies, and students.

SUNY Board Trustee Robert J. Duffy said, "Our health care system depends on highly skilled professionals in a wide variety of roles, and our assistance in inspiring and educating experts to join their ranks is crucial and must expand. SUNY is known for its academic excellence, research, and leadership in workforce development. I commend the Chancellor for bringing this team together at this critical time, and I am proud to be a part of this effort.

SUNY educates over 40,000 students through degree-granting health care profession programs. More than 11,000 health professionals graduate each year from a SUNY institution, including one in every three medical school graduates and nearly one in every three nursing graduates in New York State. SUNY's influence in health workforce education reaches further when considering workforce and continuing education programs, which offer training for essential professions such as medical assistants, pharmacy technicians, certified nursing assistants, and more.

Read the full news release on SUNY's website.

Hency Yuen-Eng
Community Relations
09/12/2023