Resource Library-Adapting to a Dynamic Workforce Environment: How Higher Education Meets the Challenges of Healthcare Quality and Safety

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The session introduces a NACU conference panel on how higher education can respond to a dynamic workforce environment and strengthen healthcare quality and patient safety. Facilitated by Dr. Anthony Stanowski (President/CEO of CAHME), the discussion is framed by the NACU Workforce Report and CAHME’s accreditation model for graduate quality and safety programs, developed with leading U.S. and Canadian universities.<br /><br />Panelists represent diverse backgrounds: Drexel University’s Fran Cornelius (nursing informatics and education leadership) and Katherine Farrell (nursing leadership, quality/safety/risk management education), Jefferson’s Mary Cooper (internist and former chief quality officer in multiple systems), George Washington University’s Sabrina Figueredo (public health/epidemiology, research on burnout and patient safety), and UAB’s Alison Hall (health services research and outcomes).<br /><br />Key themes include: the value of graduate education in building specialized knowledge, leadership, systems thinking, and rigorous scientific reasoning—skills not easily learned on the job. Panelists emphasize integrating competencies across domains rather than working in silos, often reinforced through capstone projects tied to real organizational problems.<br /><br />The NACU report’s identified gaps—such as inconsistent ownership of safety and uneven proficiency across competency domains—underscore the need for culture change and interprofessional collaboration so safety becomes everyone’s responsibility.<br /><br />To expand workforce development, panelists call for stronger employer–university partnerships, organizational funding and protected time for education, and clearer return on investment: reduced burnout and turnover, improved patient outcomes, better data literacy, and stronger capacity to address disparities. Accredited programs are positioned as a mechanism to track competency progression and standardize preparation for advancing value-based care.

Asset Caption

Speakers: Aarti Raghavan, MD, FAAP, MS (PSL), Allyson Hall, PhD, Anthony Stanowski, DHA, FACHE, Carole Hemmelgarn, MS, MS, Frances Cornelius, PhD, MSN, RN-BC, CNE, ANEF, Jennifer Myers, MD, Kathryn Farrell, EdD, MSN, RN, Mary Reich Cooper, M.D., J.D., Sabrina Figueiredo, PhD

This session features a panel discussion moderated by Anthony Stanowski, DHA, President and CEO of the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education. The panel of leading academics and NAHQ executives will examine the NAHQ workforce report and its implications for higher education to develop a competent workforce that can best address the demands of ensuring healthcare quality and safety.

Meta Tag

Competency Tag PE3

Competency Tag Description Participate in activities that advance healthcare quality and safety practices.

Domain Tag Professional Engagement

Keywords

NACU conference panel

healthcare workforce development

higher education and workforce

patient safety and quality

CAHME accreditation model

graduate quality and safety programs

interprofessional collaboration

nursing informatics leadership

burnout and patient safety research

employer–university partnerships