Health Professions Network Holds Spring Meeting

April 14, 2008

	Bill Dubbs

The Health Professions Network (HPN), represents approximately 200 health care provider organizations, educators, regulators, and government agencies held its 2008 spring meeting in Baltimore, MD from April 2–5, 2008. HPN is concerned with advancing and exploring current issues relevant to health professions. Bill Dubbs, AARC Director of Education and Management Services represented the AARC.

Topics of the presentations were varied and included cultural competency, reducing the impact of healthcare waste on the environment, an update on federal funding to health professions training programs, HOSA’s impact on workforce development, the interrelationships between congress and accrediting agencies and successful efforts to improve patient safety.

At its business meeting, participants  were updated on progress made in HPN’s Consumer Awareness Campaign. This is campaign directed at increasing awareness and support of health professions careers other than physicians and nurses. The AARC along with other healthcare professional groups contributed seed money to enable HPN to find a corporate entity to sponsor this effort. In support of this campaign Bill Dubbs, a member of the HPN Board of Directors, will chair a committee to explore barriers to increasing the available workforce of healthcare professionals.

The HPN will hold its fall meeting in St. Louis MO on October 8–11, 2008.