8/19Gov. Evers Announces Task Force on the Healthcare Workforce Releases Full Report

healthcare workforce shortages that have plagued the state for years.

"Wisconsin has seen historically low unemployment and a record-high number of Wisconsinites employed, but Wisconsin's decade-long struggle to retain, attract, and train talented workers to address our workforce shortages in key industries continues to hold our state back," said Gov. Evers. "This action plan will help bring more folks into the healthcare profession and ensure that Wisconsinites get the care they need and the quality of life they deserve. So, I want to thank the Task Force for their dedication and commitment to finding meaningful and achievable solutions that will carry us into the future.

"Making sure our workforce is prepared to meet the needs of a 21st-century economy is a top priority for me and must be a top priority for our state, including the State Legislature, and I look forward to working together and considering these recommendations in the next biennial budget," concluded Gov. Evers.
As previewedin his 2024 State of the State address when he declared 2024 the Year of the Worker, Gov. Evers established the Governor's Task Force on the Healthcare Workforce in January by signing Executive Order #220. The Task Force was charged with studying the workforce challenges facing the state's healthcare system, including recruitment and retention, identifying ways to improve patient care and alleviate the burdens on the healthcare workforce, exploring educational and training pathways to grow a sustainable healthcare workforce, and creating an action plan with solutions related to workforce development, industry innovation, education, and training for consideration in the governor's 2025-27 executive budget.

The 25-member task force met six times since March to hear from healthcare industry experts and leaders, analyze labor market data, and produce an advisory action plan for Gov. Evers' review and consideration. As a result of those meetings, the Task Force adopted 10 recommendations with 26 action items representing a variety of policies and programs to address various industry issues, including education, training, recruitment, and retention of healthcare workers. The action plan represents a strategic set of policy and implementation approaches targeting the healthcare industry's chronic challenges.

"As a nurse and public health professional, I've experienced firsthand the challenges our nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers face," said Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez. "That's why it has been a top priority for both Gov. Evers and our entire state to ensure our healthcare workforce has the resources, support, and talented professionals required to meet our future needs and the needs of our state's aging population."

"The healthcare workforce is the foundation of our ability to deliver quality care. And like in many other states, that workforce is in crisis with high levels of burnout that were only exacerbated by the pandemic. We must advocate for our workers with actionable steps immediately," said Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary Kirsten Johnson. "The task force recommendations do just that, ensuring Wisconsinites are able to access health care when they need it and are able to live their best lives."

"We know that without action, the workforce shortage coupled with an aging population will create a bleak future in one of our most relied-upon industries; a potential deficit of 12,000 to 19,000 registered nurses by 2040 and nearly 32,000 annual openings across healthcare populations between now and 2030," said Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Secretary Amy Pechacek. "The recommendations from the task force will ensure Wisconsin is prepared to meet the needs of a 21st-century economy."

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