| For more information, check out the Health Care Workforce Forum program brochure, featuring the days schedule (note: this is an Adobe PDF file) |
- Posted 02/23/2001
Contact: Andrew Svec, 218-281-8435
UMC to Sponsor Health Care Workforce
Forum April 5 in Thief River Falls
Is
an aging workforce a problem or an asset?
Workforce shortages are a problem across northwest Minnesota, especially in health care. The University of Minnesota will sponsor a forum to address this issue Thursday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Best Western in Thief River Falls. The forum will offer information about how to maximize the potential of an aging workforce in health care.
The keynote speaker for the April 5 forum is Steve Miles, a U of M Professor of Medicine and Assistant Director of the Center on Bioethics. His speech is titled “Is an aging workforce a problem? Or an asset?” “Dr. Miles is a great speaker, and his message is positive for northwest Minnesota. We are thrilled to have him on our program,” says Barbara Muesing, Director of Outreach at the University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) and coordinator of the program. Also speaking will be Jan Hively, Coordinator of the University of Minnesota Vital Aging Initiative.
“Don Sargeant, UMC Chancellor, helped us better understand the health care workforce shortage in northwest Minnesota when he spoke at a forum last year,” said Heather Knoll, Executive Director of the North Region Health Care Alliance, a co-sponsor of the program. “The April 5 forum will translate the Chancellor’s message into positive action steps. Older workers are a real asset, and our forum will provide solid information to make the most of the asset,” she added.
The afternoon agenda features a panel of professionals from across northwest Minnesota and other places. Panelists will share real life examples of what works and what doesn’t when managing older workers. Lori Sturdevant, a well-known reporter with the Minneapolis Star Tribune will moderate the panel. Panelist include Margaret Reed, Chief Nurse Executive at Altru; Tom Lenertz, who recently retired from Riverview Healthcare in Crookston, but remains actively involved in health care as the half-time administrator for the Marywood Community; and David Seyfried and Paula Viker, who teach health management courses at UMC.
Also on the agenda is a preview of RuralCare, the new option for health care benefits that will soon be available to employers in northwest Minnesota. “Providing benefits for employees in the health care industry has been a huge problem, and RuralCare holds promise as an option,” says Muesing, who also serves as Coordinator for the Northwest Minnesota Health Care Purchasing Alliance, the organization that has designed RuralCare.
The forum is sponsored by the U’s Vital Aging Initiative, UMC, The Minnesota Rural Health Association, and several others. It is part of a larger University of Minnesota initiative called "Vital Aging." Similar forums are scheduled March 15 in Mankato and April 23 in Rochester.
The April 5 forum is open to any and all who are interested in the topic of older workers, especially employers, supervisors, and older workers themselves. Registration is $15, and includes lunch. Need based scholarships available on request. Call 218-281-8681 to register or e-mail bmuesing@mail.crk.umn.edu. Disability accommodations are available upon request.