Date: 05/10/2019

Author(s): Joanne Spetz and Nancy Dudley

 

The lack of an adequately prepared workforce is a critical barrier to delivering high-quality community-based care for individuals living with serious illness. This article presents 16 consensus-based recommendations to improve the capacity of the workforce in this area within the next 5 years, focusing on older adults. The recommendations were developed at a summit of 40 national leaders from practice, payment, labor, advocacy, and research arenas. The consensus-based recommendations include specific steps for geriatrics leaders: Curriculum reforms to increase skills in the care of older and seriously ill populations Expanding experiential learning opportunities for students to increase interest in careers in geriatric and palliative care Developing and improving curriculum in interprofessional and cultural competency skills Preparing clinicians to support incorporation of home care aides and family caregivers as health care team members Development of skills to support shared decision making with patients Requiring specific skills related to serious illness care in licensing, accreditation, and continuing education regulations. Together, these recommendations put forward a charge to health care leaders to act to ensure a workforce that will optimize support for those with serious illness living in the community.