As burnout and emotional exhaustion amid the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a shortage of healthcare workers, an event held at NKU this week led to ideas that may combat the growing problem.
The challenge, held at Northern Kentucky University’s Institute for Health Innovation on May 14, was intended to identify innovative solutions to address the current shortage of healthcare workers by either sustaining them in their occupation or boosting entry into the field.
Almost half of physicians showed signs of burnout, emotional exhaustion, St. Elizabeth Healthcare Executive Director of the Institute for Health Innovation and Vice President for Health Innovation at NKU, Dr. Valerie Hardcastle.
“There is no doubt that the changing landscape of health care in the US has negatively impacted healthcare worker employment. We need innovative solutions for overcoming these barriers,” Hardcastle said.
Enter the Idea Challenge.
Four finalists for the challenge gave their solutions in five-minute pitch videos during the event. Topics ranged from changing governmental regulations to decreasing on-the-job psychosocial hazards to increasing youth interest in healthcare careers.
A panel of five judges from various areas in the healthcare industry were in attendance. Judging for the competition focused on the significance of the specific problem the team was trying to address, product or program viability, and the potential impact of the proposed solution.
2022 Health Care Workforce ‘Idea Challenge’ Winners:
The first-Place prize of $4,000 went to Kristen Harness, Leah Legrone, and Kelli White for their pitch on Ranae Wellness Company. The pitch addressed psychosocial hazards destroying the careers and well-being of helping professionals.
The second-Place prize of $2,000 went to Pam Cho, Maria Espinola, and Stevi Carr for their pitch on Wild Success. The pitch was to promote physician wellness.
The third-Place prize of $1,000 went to Natalie Eller, Emily Miller, Hanson Nguyen, and Maddie Yaw for their pitch on Team Norse. Their pitch was for careers in healthcare through innovative pathways (CHIP.)
Fourth Place went to Rebecca Elkins, Rhyanne McDade, and Chandra Shannon, for their pitch on Faith Boosters. Their pitch covered bureaucracy busters.