HealthForce Kentucky has announced the appointment of Bruce R. Williams, MSN, MS, RN, CHSOS, CHSE, as its new Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Williams brings over three decades of diverse nursing experience and more than 20 years of simulation education expertise to this pivotal leadership role. In his new position, Williams will oversee all operational activities of HealthForce Kentucky and its simulation center. This public-private partnership is designed…
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HealthForce Kentucky as a Change Agent for Kentucky
Kentucky, like the rest of the United States, is facing a crisis of healthcare professional shortages within virtually every specialty and skill. This crisis was predicted…. the crisis has arrived. The shortages existed prior to the advent of Covid-19, but the pandemic accelerated the crisis as healthcare workers left their professions in large numbers during the height of the pandemic, and after it subsided, due to burnout and exhaustion. When…
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HealthForce Kentucky Named Education and Workforce Development Institution of the Year
We’re thrilled to share that HealthForce Kentucky has been named the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce Education and Workforce Development Institution of the Year! This incredible honor is a testament to the power of collaboration. HealthForce Kentucky is a partnership between nine higher education partners, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative. The collaboration doesn’t end there, though. We work with P-12 school districts in 16…
KET’s Kentucky Health Features HealthForce Kentucky
HealthForce Kentucky Chancellor Bart Darrell and Kentucky Health host Wayne Tuckson recently discussed how western Kentucky’s healthcare providers, post-secondary institutions and K-12 schools are partnering on innovative solutions to healthcare workforce shortages. From the smallest rural Kentucky communities to the largest metropolitans in the state, the number of people needed in healthcare professions is only expected to grow. Many talented people living in our local communities could help meet this…
Nov. 15 is deadline to apply to U of L Accelerated Second Degree BSN Program
University of Louisville School of Nursing, in partnership with Owensboro Health, proudly offers the Accelerated Second-Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. This innovative program is designed for individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field but have a passion for healthcare and a desire to become nurses. The ABSN program provides a unique blend of online coursework and hands-on clinical experiences within the Owensboro area, allowing…
HealthForce Kentucky Breaks Ground on Innovation Center
HealthForce Kentucky broke ground Friday (October 25, 2024) on a 36,000-square-foot high technology healthcare innovation space in Owensboro. The Innovation Center, located at 2511 Frederica Street, was made possible by Owensboro Health, which offered its existing Business Center for the advanced learning site. HealthForce Kentucky Chancellor Bart Darrell expressed appreciation toward Owensboro Health. “We are grateful for the Owensboro Health team and its leadership, led by its visionary CEO, Mark…
HealthForce Kentucky partners with Brescia, Kentucky Wesleyan on new programs
By James Mayse, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky. HealthForce Kentucky, the regional healthcare professions training initiative, has partnered with Brescia University and Kentucky Wesleyan College to start two new healthcare degree programs. HealthForce Kentucky is providing funds to assist Brescia University in starting a master’s degree program in clinical mental health counseling, and is allocating dollars for Kentucky Wesleyan to expand its business degree program by adding a concentration in healthcare administration.…
Owensboro and Elizabethtown colleges partner to expand sonography program
By Gina Clear, Oct. 1, 2024 The News-Enterprise Owensboro Community & Technical College recently announced the launch of a Diagnostic Medical Sonography program in conjunction with Elizabethtown Community & Technical College, supported in part by HealthForce Kentucky. This collaborative program will be taught at OCTC, and all the prerequisites can be taken locally. ECTC is working with local health care providers to secure spaces for clinical experiences. “This is one…
Brescia University announces accreditation plans for Physician Assistant Program
Brescia University announced its potential Physician Assistant Program at the September Greater Owensboro Chamber Rooster Booster meeting. This developing program is a partnership between the University, HealthForce Kentucky, and Owensboro Health. Brescia University Physician Assistant Program has applied for Accreditation – Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Brescia University Physician Assistant Program anticipates matriculating its first class in August 2026, pending achieving Accreditation…