Speaking of workforce issues, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Mary Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N., Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, earlier today announced $320 million in grants under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to strengthen the health care workforce.  Of those grants, $253 million will go to improve and expand the primary care workforce under the Prevention and Public Health Fund of the Affordable Care Act.  Another $67 million in Health Profession Opportunity Grants will provide low-income individuals with education, training and supportive services that will help them prepare to enter and advance in careers in the health care sector.

According to Sebelius, the grants will help “ensure patients have access to care earlier in a way that is more cost-effective and health effective. “ Specifically, the grants will go towards increasing the number of medical residents in high needs fields and opening up opportunities for high-level nursing education.

Wakefield outlined the specific investments, noting that they are intended to help “counter the years of under-funding and/or de-funding of health care professionals.”  According to Wakefield, nearly $200 million will go towards residency expansion in general pediatrics, internal medicine and family medicine, with the goal of nearly 900 new primary care professionals by 2015. In addition, funds will be used towards a physician assistant training program and to invest in advanced nursing training.

Visit the HHS website for more detailed information about the grants.

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