HJAR Jul/Aug 2020

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  JUL / AUG 2020 49 LaShannon Spencer Chief Executive Officer Community Health Centers of Arkansas sufficient and well-trained health workforce to care for patients during the pandemic, especially in our rural communities. We must also consider strategies to replenish workforce supply as health workers fall ill to the pandemic. In many ways, this is the best time for those interested in transforming healthcare to work together more cohesively to benefit all Arkansans. We need to be proactive in a way that upends conventional thinking. We must think deeply about what healthcare looks like in 2030 for Arkansans. We must not view healthcare as a problem we can solve by increasing reimbursements, and adding more technology options. I worry that when this crisis is over (if ever), we may have wasted this opportu- nity to create momentum to address criti- cal healthcare careers, and rural innovation concepts that could address future pandem- ics. This is mainly to the benefit of the most vulnerable populations. We are all busy working to educate the general public about the current pandemic, but it’s imperative to focus on complex chronic conditions im- pacting communities continually. Interventions that address health behav- iors among older adults, and those with chronic conditions, will offer the best op- portunity to reduce morbidity and mortality related to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. To effectuate such positive change, we must research how to best staff our fa- cilities with individuals equipped with the proper competencies and training. During the last few years, the workforce’s supply and productivity have become one of the critical strategic issues for health and human service organizations. This is especially true for Community Health Cen- ters, and many healthcare systems in rural communities. The strain of COVID-19 will add pressure to an already stressed field. Let’s start by incorporating population health and clinical informatics staff mem- bers throughout primary care. Usually, population health interventions focus on chronic conditions of patients. Apopulation health staff member studies and facilitates care delivery across the general population, or a group of individuals. Population health staff must gather, normalize, and analyze clinical data across patient care settings to reveal opportunities to improve patient health. Clinical informatics staff members serve as the liaison for health IT efforts representing nursing and clinician needs. They also incorporate nursing research and evidence-based nursing knowledge into “In many ways, this is the best time for those interested in transforming healthcare to work together more cohesively to benefit all Arkansans. We need to be proactive in a way that upends conventional thinking.”