WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.080 --> 00:00:06.160 - GLP ones, Medicare Advantage Headwinds, a Medicaid landscape 2 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:07.219 - that looks different 3 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:08.580 - every quarter. 4 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:11.679 - Their leadership right now means making durable decisions 5 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:13.855 - in an environment that keeps moving, and the 6 00:00:13.855 --> 00:00:16.755 - organizations pulling ahead are the ones that stopped 7 00:00:16.815 --> 00:00:17.875 - waiting for stability 8 00:00:18.255 --> 00:00:21.614 - before acting. Becker's fifth annual fall payer issues 9 00:00:21.614 --> 00:00:24.035 - roundtable convenes more than 500 10 00:00:24.255 --> 00:00:25.554 - executive level attendees 11 00:00:25.910 --> 00:00:28.469 - and 70 plus speakers November second and third 12 00:00:28.469 --> 00:00:29.929 - at the Swiss Hotel Chicago. 13 00:00:30.390 --> 00:00:32.969 - Two days of senior level dialogue on affordability, 14 00:00:33.590 --> 00:00:36.489 - benefit design, value based care, and the strategies 15 00:00:37.030 --> 00:00:38.890 - shaping how care gets financed 16 00:00:39.350 --> 00:00:40.250 - and delivered. 17 00:00:40.710 --> 00:00:41.210 - Featuring 18 00:00:42.734 --> 00:00:44.495 - celebrity keynote from pro football hall of famer, 19 00:00:44.495 --> 00:00:48.175 - Emmitt Smith. Agenda and registration at beckerspayer.com. 20 00:00:48.175 --> 00:00:50.034 - Click events in the upper right. 21 00:00:51.135 --> 00:00:53.375 - Hello, everyone. This is Jacob Emerson with the 22 00:00:53.375 --> 00:00:55.475 - Becker's Payer Issues podcast. 23 00:00:55.969 --> 00:00:58.450 - Thrilled today to be joined by two leaders 24 00:00:58.450 --> 00:00:59.189 - from UPMC. 25 00:00:59.809 --> 00:01:02.450 - Dan LaValle serves as associate vice president of 26 00:01:02.450 --> 00:01:05.569 - community engagement at UPMC health plan, and doctor 27 00:01:05.569 --> 00:01:08.689 - Brandy Hershberger serves as chief nursing officer and 28 00:01:08.689 --> 00:01:11.430 - vice president of academic affairs at UPMC. 29 00:01:11.984 --> 00:01:14.305 - Doctor Hirschberger, Dan, thank you so much for 30 00:01:14.305 --> 00:01:15.924 - taking the time to be with us today. 31 00:01:16.064 --> 00:01:17.665 - And doctor Hirschberger, I'll turn it over to 32 00:01:17.665 --> 00:01:19.185 - you first. If you could tell our audience 33 00:01:19.185 --> 00:01:21.265 - a little bit more about yourself, your background 34 00:01:21.265 --> 00:01:22.944 - in health care, and what it is that 35 00:01:22.944 --> 00:01:24.564 - you do today at UPMC. 36 00:01:26.099 --> 00:01:28.340 - Sure. So thanks so much for having us 37 00:01:28.340 --> 00:01:28.840 - today. 38 00:01:29.379 --> 00:01:31.459 - So a little bit about myself. I am 39 00:01:31.459 --> 00:01:33.780 - a nurse of twenty three years, a chief 40 00:01:33.780 --> 00:01:35.159 - nurse of eight years. 41 00:01:35.619 --> 00:01:37.379 - I grew up as a baby nurse at 42 00:01:37.379 --> 00:01:38.679 - UPMC, primarily 43 00:01:39.060 --> 00:01:40.439 - in emergency medicine, 44 00:01:41.185 --> 00:01:43.905 - and then I went to the for profit 45 00:01:43.905 --> 00:01:46.784 - for about seven years outside of UPMC and 46 00:01:46.784 --> 00:01:49.605 - came back to UPMC in 2021. 47 00:01:49.984 --> 00:01:52.724 - I started out as the chief nursing officer 48 00:01:52.865 --> 00:01:55.685 - for UPMC East and UPMC McKeesport 49 00:01:56.109 --> 00:01:59.250 - and then transitioned into this role in 2022. 50 00:01:59.629 --> 00:02:01.969 - Currently in this role, I am responsible 51 00:02:02.269 --> 00:02:05.310 - for the nursing and allied health pipelining, building 52 00:02:05.310 --> 00:02:06.049 - our pipelines 53 00:02:06.349 --> 00:02:08.049 - to gain a stronger workforce. 54 00:02:08.775 --> 00:02:10.235 - Additionally, I oversee 55 00:02:10.534 --> 00:02:12.634 - our eight UPMC proprietary 56 00:02:12.935 --> 00:02:15.834 - schools of nursing along with our 11 UPMC 57 00:02:16.215 --> 00:02:17.435 - allied health schools 58 00:02:18.055 --> 00:02:19.114 - that are UPMC 59 00:02:19.414 --> 00:02:20.474 - owned and operated. 60 00:02:20.969 --> 00:02:21.870 - And then additionally, 61 00:02:22.330 --> 00:02:23.229 - just maintaining 62 00:02:23.530 --> 00:02:24.909 - our academic partnerships 63 00:02:25.370 --> 00:02:26.590 - and really ensuring 64 00:02:27.129 --> 00:02:29.150 - all of our students have a great clinical 65 00:02:29.209 --> 00:02:30.989 - experience when they come to UPMC. 66 00:02:31.849 --> 00:02:34.189 - So thanks so much for having us today. 67 00:02:34.665 --> 00:02:36.764 - Wonderful. Thanks, Brandy. How about you, Dan? 68 00:02:37.064 --> 00:02:38.905 - Oh, thanks, Jacob, for having us. Brandy, you 69 00:02:38.905 --> 00:02:40.665 - are wonderful. It's always fun to do this, 70 00:02:40.905 --> 00:02:43.385 - you know, with you. I'm Dan LaValle. I, 71 00:02:43.625 --> 00:02:45.705 - I'm a I'm a native Yenser as we 72 00:02:45.705 --> 00:02:47.784 - say. My my grandmother had a a bakery 73 00:02:47.784 --> 00:02:49.919 - on the University of Pittsburgh's campus for about 74 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:51.060 - sixty years. And, 75 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:53.840 - you know, probably fortunately for the community, I 76 00:02:53.840 --> 00:02:55.759 - don't have those baking skills. I watched her 77 00:02:55.759 --> 00:02:57.759 - make an incredible difference in the community, but 78 00:02:57.759 --> 00:02:58.400 - I chose, 79 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:01.280 - health care. And I've been, at UPMC for 80 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:02.500 - the last twelve years. 81 00:03:02.805 --> 00:03:04.965 - I lead our community engagement team, 82 00:03:05.365 --> 00:03:07.365 - on the health plan side of UPMC, which 83 00:03:07.365 --> 00:03:09.604 - includes a wonderful team that meets people where 84 00:03:09.604 --> 00:03:11.685 - they are every single day and high rises 85 00:03:11.685 --> 00:03:13.365 - out in the community and also builds, 86 00:03:13.764 --> 00:03:16.409 - signature community programs that we call it, like 87 00:03:16.409 --> 00:03:18.250 - our pathways to work program, which we'll talk 88 00:03:18.250 --> 00:03:21.370 - about today. We have two neighborhood centers that 89 00:03:21.370 --> 00:03:23.949 - function as, partnership, community centers, 90 00:03:24.250 --> 00:03:25.849 - in Pittsburgh and Eery as well, although we 91 00:03:25.849 --> 00:03:27.449 - do a lot of this work, and it's 92 00:03:27.449 --> 00:03:28.889 - just so meaningful to me. So it's great 93 00:03:28.889 --> 00:03:29.629 - to be here. 94 00:03:29.985 --> 00:03:32.544 - I love it. A legacy family thing for 95 00:03:32.544 --> 00:03:34.705 - you, Dan, of community engagement in some way, 96 00:03:34.705 --> 00:03:35.525 - shape, or form. 97 00:03:36.224 --> 00:03:39.104 - Always. And my great grandfather was actually a 98 00:03:39.104 --> 00:03:41.525 - baking apprentice when he came here from Germany. 99 00:03:41.584 --> 00:03:43.840 - So it's full circle. We're talking about apprenticeship. 100 00:03:43.980 --> 00:03:46.140 - That's awesome. I didn't know that, Dan. I 101 00:03:46.140 --> 00:03:47.420 - was a new I should have shared that 102 00:03:47.420 --> 00:03:48.400 - before. It's wonderful. 103 00:03:49.420 --> 00:03:51.500 - That's awesome. Well, appreciate you both taking the 104 00:03:51.500 --> 00:03:52.960 - time to chat with us today. 105 00:03:53.500 --> 00:03:56.125 - Staying on the the lines of community engagement, 106 00:03:56.125 --> 00:03:57.564 - Dan, and all the work that you, your 107 00:03:57.564 --> 00:04:00.205 - teams, everybody at UPMC is doing. Talk to 108 00:04:00.205 --> 00:04:01.965 - us a little bit about the latest on 109 00:04:01.965 --> 00:04:03.264 - workforce development. 110 00:04:03.564 --> 00:04:05.004 - I know the the health system, the health 111 00:04:05.004 --> 00:04:06.465 - plan has a lot of different 112 00:04:06.844 --> 00:04:08.944 - initiatives here and progress 113 00:04:09.259 --> 00:04:12.299 - to talk about, in this space. UPMC health 114 00:04:12.299 --> 00:04:13.759 - plan specifically has achieved, 115 00:04:14.699 --> 00:04:17.019 - lasting assistance for those on Medicaid to find 116 00:04:17.019 --> 00:04:19.279 - meaningful careers within the broader health system. 117 00:04:19.819 --> 00:04:21.419 - For our audience who might not be familiar, 118 00:04:21.419 --> 00:04:22.699 - give us some of the details there, and 119 00:04:22.699 --> 00:04:23.919 - what's the latest progress? 120 00:04:24.475 --> 00:04:26.154 - Thanks so much, Jacob. It it has been 121 00:04:26.154 --> 00:04:29.035 - an incredible year. We just passed our eleven 122 00:04:29.035 --> 00:04:30.014 - thousandth person, 123 00:04:30.555 --> 00:04:33.214 - hired off our UPMC for you Medicaid plan 124 00:04:33.274 --> 00:04:35.535 - into UPMC with leaders like Brandy. 125 00:04:36.074 --> 00:04:38.314 - I I just can't even imagine how wonderful 126 00:04:38.314 --> 00:04:40.254 - this has been over these past seven years. 127 00:04:40.529 --> 00:04:42.610 - We started our Pathways to Work program that 128 00:04:42.610 --> 00:04:45.089 - we called it, in partnership with our State 129 00:04:45.089 --> 00:04:47.410 - Department of Human Services about seven years ago 130 00:04:47.410 --> 00:04:48.850 - when they had asked us to help, you 131 00:04:48.850 --> 00:04:50.850 - know, our Medicaid members find work if they 132 00:04:50.850 --> 00:04:51.509 - were interested. 133 00:04:51.970 --> 00:04:53.634 - And it really, you know, built into a 134 00:04:53.634 --> 00:04:55.555 - program that I couldn't even imagine to back 135 00:04:55.555 --> 00:04:57.814 - in in 2019. We went through the pandemic, 136 00:04:57.875 --> 00:04:59.555 - of course, when one in three of our 137 00:04:59.555 --> 00:05:01.634 - neighbors were, you know, filing jobless claims, but 138 00:05:01.634 --> 00:05:02.535 - we still needed, 139 00:05:02.915 --> 00:05:05.074 - leaders in our hospitals and community to care 140 00:05:05.074 --> 00:05:06.600 - for those that were sick at that time. 141 00:05:06.839 --> 00:05:09.259 - And even as the pandemic, you know, ended, 142 00:05:09.319 --> 00:05:11.580 - the need in the community to help individuals 143 00:05:11.639 --> 00:05:13.399 - find life changing careers did not go away. 144 00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:15.720 - And it's just been, you know, incredibly beautiful. 145 00:05:15.720 --> 00:05:18.600 - We really started the program off with trying 146 00:05:18.600 --> 00:05:19.740 - to provide individuals 147 00:05:20.044 --> 00:05:22.464 - who were work ready and had skills into 148 00:05:22.524 --> 00:05:25.324 - careers at UPMC, whether they were in nursing 149 00:05:25.324 --> 00:05:27.485 - with Brandy or I'm calling on the phone 150 00:05:27.485 --> 00:05:29.165 - to make sure people had the coverage and 151 00:05:29.165 --> 00:05:30.144 - the and the medical, 152 00:05:30.685 --> 00:05:32.444 - you know, information and supplies that they would 153 00:05:32.444 --> 00:05:34.990 - need, especially during those challenging times. But then 154 00:05:34.990 --> 00:05:36.750 - what it did is it kinda taught us, 155 00:05:36.750 --> 00:05:38.430 - you know, that, of course, we can support 156 00:05:38.430 --> 00:05:40.269 - individuals in finding a career they might be 157 00:05:40.269 --> 00:05:42.350 - ready for, but it was also an opportunity 158 00:05:42.350 --> 00:05:43.729 - to build new training programs 159 00:05:44.029 --> 00:05:47.389 - and get into new sector apprenticeships as, Governor 160 00:05:47.389 --> 00:05:50.290 - Shapiro and, Labor Secretary Walker here in Pennsylvania, 161 00:05:50.644 --> 00:05:52.084 - you know, have called it, and that has 162 00:05:52.084 --> 00:05:53.925 - really changed the game for us. Brandy will 163 00:05:53.925 --> 00:05:56.004 - go through all the wonderful work that she's 164 00:05:56.004 --> 00:05:57.785 - leading on apprentice on apprenticeships. 165 00:05:58.165 --> 00:05:59.685 - And I think that the most beautiful thing 166 00:05:59.685 --> 00:06:01.444 - is, you know, I'm I remember growing up 167 00:06:01.444 --> 00:06:02.884 - here, you know, as a as a young 168 00:06:02.884 --> 00:06:06.540 - child watching, you know, how Western Pennsylvania became 169 00:06:06.540 --> 00:06:08.699 - a place to build national models to care 170 00:06:08.699 --> 00:06:10.779 - for our communities, whether it's the Children's Health 171 00:06:10.779 --> 00:06:13.180 - Insurance program or other, you know, programs. We 172 00:06:13.180 --> 00:06:15.120 - feel like we have that now too with 173 00:06:15.180 --> 00:06:17.259 - workforce development for those, you know, who who 174 00:06:17.259 --> 00:06:19.245 - really need it. So, you know, I was 175 00:06:19.245 --> 00:06:21.485 - looking at a story this morning, Jacob, from 176 00:06:21.485 --> 00:06:23.024 - one of our team members who was, 177 00:06:23.324 --> 00:06:25.404 - you know, sharing that, you know, we have 178 00:06:25.404 --> 00:06:27.324 - them share every Monday, you know, stories that 179 00:06:27.324 --> 00:06:29.084 - they have from the past week. And, you 180 00:06:29.084 --> 00:06:30.685 - know, one that really struck me was an 181 00:06:30.685 --> 00:06:32.860 - individual that, you know, was homeless and, you 182 00:06:32.860 --> 00:06:35.180 - know, was struggling and but had skills and 183 00:06:35.180 --> 00:06:37.040 - just fallen on hard times, 184 00:06:37.420 --> 00:06:38.860 - and was able to get into a career 185 00:06:38.860 --> 00:06:41.660 - at UPMC, but had expressed an interest in 186 00:06:41.660 --> 00:06:43.420 - joining an apprenticeship down the road, which I 187 00:06:43.500 --> 00:06:45.660 - now I know the game has changed because, 188 00:06:45.660 --> 00:06:47.475 - you know, we've gotten to that point. So, 189 00:06:47.634 --> 00:06:48.694 - it's just so wonderful. 190 00:06:49.154 --> 00:06:50.455 - Shout out to our incredible 191 00:06:50.995 --> 00:06:52.834 - folks on the facility side. They started our 192 00:06:52.834 --> 00:06:55.735 - first apprenticeship. It's called a facilities maintenance technician. 193 00:06:56.035 --> 00:06:57.714 - Kelly Noll, our leader on that side, was 194 00:06:57.714 --> 00:06:59.814 - so wonderful. And that success 195 00:07:00.209 --> 00:07:02.290 - allowed us to work together to build all 196 00:07:02.290 --> 00:07:04.449 - these new programs that Brandy has, and she's 197 00:07:04.449 --> 00:07:06.290 - just the the the best leader and someone 198 00:07:06.290 --> 00:07:07.649 - I look up to very much. And, you 199 00:07:07.649 --> 00:07:09.009 - know, we're we're having a good day in 200 00:07:09.009 --> 00:07:10.629 - the neighborhood as we say here in Pittsburgh. 201 00:07:11.250 --> 00:07:13.250 - And and that story you just shared there, 202 00:07:13.250 --> 00:07:16.585 - Dan, that that singular story, one of 11,000 203 00:07:16.585 --> 00:07:17.485 - out there now, 204 00:07:18.264 --> 00:07:20.365 - that that is all comes back to UPMC 205 00:07:20.425 --> 00:07:22.605 - and your pathways to work program. It's amazing. 206 00:07:22.665 --> 00:07:24.665 - Just just the human story, but also the 207 00:07:24.665 --> 00:07:26.764 - scale here that you're talking about. 208 00:07:27.384 --> 00:07:29.305 - You you teed Brandy up in terms of 209 00:07:29.305 --> 00:07:31.324 - all the different health care apprenticeships 210 00:07:31.649 --> 00:07:33.509 - that are available across the system. 211 00:07:33.889 --> 00:07:35.009 - Brandy, do you wanna talk a little bit 212 00:07:35.009 --> 00:07:36.629 - about that? What's available today? 213 00:07:37.009 --> 00:07:38.689 - And then how you see this all trickling 214 00:07:38.689 --> 00:07:41.430 - down? How this all helps address the workforce 215 00:07:41.569 --> 00:07:44.264 - challenges, not just locally, but how you think 216 00:07:44.425 --> 00:07:46.425 - other systems across the country can really learn 217 00:07:46.425 --> 00:07:48.824 - from UPMC and scale this in their markets 218 00:07:48.824 --> 00:07:49.485 - as well? 219 00:07:50.264 --> 00:07:51.165 - Sure. Absolutely. 220 00:07:51.545 --> 00:07:53.545 - I think that the majority of people are 221 00:07:53.545 --> 00:07:54.444 - used to apprenticeships 222 00:07:54.824 --> 00:07:56.125 - being in, like, electrician 223 00:07:56.585 --> 00:07:59.324 - or, you know, facilities and so forth. 224 00:07:59.689 --> 00:08:01.689 - Well, we were innovative and we wanted to 225 00:08:01.689 --> 00:08:04.110 - bridge this into the healthcare apprenticeships. 226 00:08:04.729 --> 00:08:06.889 - And last year, we were able to get 227 00:08:06.889 --> 00:08:07.389 - approved, 228 00:08:07.850 --> 00:08:09.069 - the first in Pennsylvania, 229 00:08:09.610 --> 00:08:12.990 - an R and R or registered nurse resident 230 00:08:13.050 --> 00:08:14.990 - or an LPN to RN 231 00:08:15.295 --> 00:08:16.675 - apprentice. So we currently 232 00:08:17.134 --> 00:08:17.875 - are running, 233 00:08:18.495 --> 00:08:21.295 - with that apprentice currently at our UPMC Schools 234 00:08:21.295 --> 00:08:23.634 - of Nursing located in Erie, Pennsylvania. 235 00:08:24.574 --> 00:08:27.634 - Additionally, we were able to get our surgical 236 00:08:27.694 --> 00:08:28.595 - tech apprenticeship 237 00:08:29.134 --> 00:08:31.810 - approved along with pharmacy technician 238 00:08:32.269 --> 00:08:32.769 - apprenticeships 239 00:08:33.470 --> 00:08:33.970 - and 240 00:08:34.350 --> 00:08:35.889 - our imaging or diagnostic 241 00:08:36.669 --> 00:08:37.730 - tech apprenticeship 242 00:08:38.029 --> 00:08:39.970 - approved. Now these apprenticeships, 243 00:08:40.750 --> 00:08:41.809 - they help individuals 244 00:08:42.429 --> 00:08:43.889 - who never thought healthcare 245 00:08:44.509 --> 00:08:46.784 - was a career that was possible. 246 00:08:47.485 --> 00:08:51.024 - And they gain valuable related technical instruction 247 00:08:51.485 --> 00:08:53.024 - or on the job training, 248 00:08:53.644 --> 00:08:55.585 - along with their academics 249 00:08:56.125 --> 00:08:58.865 - that really train them to take their certification 250 00:08:59.085 --> 00:08:59.904 - or licensure 251 00:09:00.284 --> 00:09:01.585 - exam at the end 252 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:05.039 - and they learn and they're actually mentored by 253 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:05.779 - the experts 254 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:07.539 - in our healthcare 255 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:09.059 - arena today. 256 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:11.460 - And they're guaranteed employment, 257 00:09:12.320 --> 00:09:14.799 - along which helps them to fill those key 258 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:16.179 - positions in our workforce 259 00:09:16.634 --> 00:09:19.514 - that we so need to provide access to 260 00:09:19.514 --> 00:09:22.315 - our patients and quality of care. And these 261 00:09:22.315 --> 00:09:23.215 - were instrumental 262 00:09:23.995 --> 00:09:25.774 - across the board to give opportunities, 263 00:09:26.795 --> 00:09:28.175 - to our folks out there. 264 00:09:28.919 --> 00:09:30.440 - Absolutely. And it sounds like this really does 265 00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:32.519 - span the whole gamut of of possibilities in 266 00:09:32.519 --> 00:09:34.519 - terms of employment. It's not just clinical, but 267 00:09:34.519 --> 00:09:37.399 - you mentioned electrical work even, Brandy. It's it's 268 00:09:37.399 --> 00:09:38.440 - fascinating. Exactly. 269 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:40.679 - Dan, what else is out there for you 270 00:09:40.679 --> 00:09:43.179 - all in terms of workforce development training efforts 271 00:09:43.644 --> 00:09:46.365 - beyond the apprenticeships, and what's coming next? Give 272 00:09:46.365 --> 00:09:47.264 - give the audience 273 00:09:47.644 --> 00:09:49.085 - a little bit of a teaser in terms 274 00:09:49.085 --> 00:09:51.884 - of plans to expand your efforts here. Oh, 275 00:09:51.884 --> 00:09:53.565 - yeah. Jacob, thank you for that. And it 276 00:09:53.565 --> 00:09:55.085 - is, you know, it's beautiful. We have been 277 00:09:55.085 --> 00:09:57.325 - able to expand our overall pathways to work 278 00:09:57.325 --> 00:10:00.149 - for across the Commonwealth. So anybody who has 279 00:10:00.149 --> 00:10:01.590 - any type of barrier to work, no matter 280 00:10:01.590 --> 00:10:03.350 - what it is, can reach out to our 281 00:10:03.350 --> 00:10:06.070 - exceptional team, and they'll help them through, hopefully, 282 00:10:06.070 --> 00:10:07.910 - a career at UPMC, but we also have 283 00:10:07.910 --> 00:10:09.509 - many other, you know, partners that do that 284 00:10:09.509 --> 00:10:12.149 - work. So that has been tremendously exciting as 285 00:10:12.149 --> 00:10:14.335 - we look to serve the entirety of the 286 00:10:14.335 --> 00:10:16.495 - Commonwealth. But what's coming up next is related 287 00:10:16.495 --> 00:10:18.335 - to a milestone that we just had, actually, 288 00:10:18.335 --> 00:10:21.375 - which is beautiful. So we had, relaunched a 289 00:10:21.375 --> 00:10:23.375 - program that we call Freedom House two point 290 00:10:23.375 --> 00:10:25.134 - o, and you all might, know a little 291 00:10:25.134 --> 00:10:27.360 - bit about Freedom House. It's been on, multiple 292 00:10:27.419 --> 00:10:29.840 - episodes of recent, TV series and, 293 00:10:30.539 --> 00:10:32.700 - had an Emmy winning documentary. It was about 294 00:10:32.700 --> 00:10:35.580 - the beginning of emergency medical service in this 295 00:10:35.580 --> 00:10:38.059 - country in the sixties that happened right here 296 00:10:38.059 --> 00:10:40.125 - in the Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh to 297 00:10:40.125 --> 00:10:43.085 - help serve communities that were underserved that really 298 00:10:43.085 --> 00:10:45.245 - had no emergency service there, you know, at 299 00:10:45.245 --> 00:10:47.085 - any time. And it, you know, of course, 300 00:10:47.085 --> 00:10:48.605 - came into what, you know, we all know 301 00:10:48.605 --> 00:10:50.785 - is the model across the country to serve, 302 00:10:50.924 --> 00:10:52.605 - you know, those in need. And, you know, 303 00:10:52.605 --> 00:10:54.490 - it's it's how EMS was built across the 304 00:10:54.490 --> 00:10:56.250 - country. But we really realized we had a 305 00:10:56.250 --> 00:10:58.410 - a need here, you know, in Western Pennsylvania 306 00:10:58.410 --> 00:11:00.410 - and across the Commonwealth to train people in 307 00:11:00.410 --> 00:11:00.910 - preemployment, 308 00:11:01.769 --> 00:11:02.750 - trauma informed, 309 00:11:03.210 --> 00:11:05.290 - six week program that was beautiful to get 310 00:11:05.290 --> 00:11:07.904 - individuals into high need careers that we had. 311 00:11:07.904 --> 00:11:10.384 - We just reached our five year anniversary of 312 00:11:10.384 --> 00:11:13.024 - relaunching that program. I was so special at 313 00:11:13.024 --> 00:11:14.865 - the the last graduation to have one of 314 00:11:14.865 --> 00:11:15.684 - the original 315 00:11:16.065 --> 00:11:18.565 - members of Freedom House in the sixties join, 316 00:11:18.785 --> 00:11:20.384 - you know, and talk to the graduates and 317 00:11:20.384 --> 00:11:21.809 - share quite a bit about that. 318 00:11:22.289 --> 00:11:24.549 - And so we're continuing to expand that program. 319 00:11:24.850 --> 00:11:26.929 - And the best part is that we're launching 320 00:11:26.929 --> 00:11:30.070 - and we just launched an EMT apprenticeship program 321 00:11:30.129 --> 00:11:32.210 - based on that model. So that will, of 322 00:11:32.210 --> 00:11:34.929 - course, serve those that would become EMTs within 323 00:11:34.929 --> 00:11:35.429 - UPMC. 324 00:11:35.774 --> 00:11:37.315 - But the best part about apprenticeships, 325 00:11:37.695 --> 00:11:39.375 - Jacob, is that if you if you if 326 00:11:39.375 --> 00:11:41.134 - you build them and you get them registered 327 00:11:41.134 --> 00:11:43.375 - like like Brandy talked about, they can be 328 00:11:43.375 --> 00:11:43.875 - replicated 329 00:11:44.335 --> 00:11:47.295 - across other organizations and training providers across the 330 00:11:47.295 --> 00:11:49.080 - Commonwealth. And I think that's why, you know, 331 00:11:49.080 --> 00:11:51.399 - secretary Walker in particular has been, you know, 332 00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:53.320 - such a a great partner in helping us 333 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:55.480 - push this because we can start this year 334 00:11:55.480 --> 00:11:58.059 - and then work with, you know, other systems 335 00:11:58.120 --> 00:12:00.040 - and training partners, you know, to do this 336 00:12:00.040 --> 00:12:01.725 - work. So we're really excited and, you know, 337 00:12:01.725 --> 00:12:03.565 - all of Brandy's work is gonna continue to 338 00:12:03.565 --> 00:12:05.745 - expand, not just here, but across the country. 339 00:12:06.284 --> 00:12:08.764 - It's a perfect segue that the the the 340 00:12:08.764 --> 00:12:11.325 - replicability of the these these models across the 341 00:12:11.325 --> 00:12:13.084 - country. Can you speak to that for the 342 00:12:13.084 --> 00:12:14.490 - audience listening in, 343 00:12:15.049 --> 00:12:17.370 - wanting to replicate the work that UPMC is 344 00:12:17.370 --> 00:12:19.070 - already doing on the ground? 345 00:12:19.769 --> 00:12:22.429 - How can they also have their their educational 346 00:12:22.570 --> 00:12:23.070 - institutions 347 00:12:23.450 --> 00:12:26.169 - strengthen the local workforce pipelines like you all 348 00:12:26.169 --> 00:12:28.134 - have? No. Of course, Jacob. And it was 349 00:12:28.134 --> 00:12:29.894 - something that was certainly new to me. I 350 00:12:29.894 --> 00:12:31.735 - had to learn it's taken Brandy and I 351 00:12:31.735 --> 00:12:33.735 - years to to get this down. I think 352 00:12:33.735 --> 00:12:36.134 - we're there. Because here's the deal. No matter 353 00:12:36.134 --> 00:12:38.615 - where you are across our wonderful country, you 354 00:12:38.615 --> 00:12:40.215 - are in a place that has a workforce 355 00:12:40.215 --> 00:12:43.629 - investment board. Every single county in America has 356 00:12:43.629 --> 00:12:46.049 - that. And they are the place where employers 357 00:12:46.190 --> 00:12:48.750 - like us, also Medicaid plans who are looking 358 00:12:48.750 --> 00:12:50.909 - to help our members find work, and then 359 00:12:50.909 --> 00:12:51.409 - educational 360 00:12:51.710 --> 00:12:54.669 - institutions can go to build training programs that 361 00:12:54.669 --> 00:12:57.075 - can be then invested in with federal or 362 00:12:57.075 --> 00:12:59.554 - state dollars or private dollars. And what they 363 00:12:59.554 --> 00:13:01.475 - taught us is that, you know, especially here 364 00:13:01.475 --> 00:13:03.875 - in Pennsylvania too, if you can build a 365 00:13:03.875 --> 00:13:05.955 - program like our Freedom House two point o, 366 00:13:05.955 --> 00:13:07.875 - which was not apprenticeship but led to it 367 00:13:07.875 --> 00:13:10.274 - of course, that there are dollars there that 368 00:13:10.274 --> 00:13:12.295 - if you blend and braid the funds together, 369 00:13:12.440 --> 00:13:14.120 - that can be put into these programs no 370 00:13:14.120 --> 00:13:15.559 - matter where you are. And I think that's 371 00:13:15.559 --> 00:13:17.480 - the best thing. So anyone out here, you 372 00:13:17.480 --> 00:13:19.799 - know, interested in building a program like this, 373 00:13:19.799 --> 00:13:22.519 - whether it's an apprenticeship or a preemployment training 374 00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:25.000 - program, find your workforce investment board in the 375 00:13:25.000 --> 00:13:26.634 - county that you're in, and they'll help you 376 00:13:26.634 --> 00:13:28.735 - see how this can be replicated and done. 377 00:13:28.794 --> 00:13:30.794 - And I think the best part is that 378 00:13:30.794 --> 00:13:31.774 - we have collaborations 379 00:13:32.154 --> 00:13:35.274 - with, you know, other hospital systems, other payers, 380 00:13:35.274 --> 00:13:38.394 - other, you know, educational programs across the country 381 00:13:38.394 --> 00:13:40.714 - because we all learn better together, and we're 382 00:13:40.714 --> 00:13:41.519 - just so, 383 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:43.600 - excited, you know, to lead in that way. 384 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:45.360 - And, of course, we've had our challenges with 385 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:47.120 - it, you know, and we're open about that. 386 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:48.960 - But that's the best thing, and that's how 387 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:50.800 - you can scale these programs, you know, and 388 00:13:50.800 --> 00:13:52.820 - really, you know, turn them into national models. 389 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:55.654 - Brandy, anything you'd add there? Advice for other 390 00:13:55.654 --> 00:13:57.575 - leaders listening in on how to continue to 391 00:13:57.575 --> 00:13:59.115 - expand models like these? 392 00:14:00.054 --> 00:14:02.955 - Yeah. Dan's spot on. Partnership with our workforce 393 00:14:03.095 --> 00:14:04.394 - boards are essential. 394 00:14:05.014 --> 00:14:07.195 - And then, you know, with our institutions, 395 00:14:07.654 --> 00:14:10.799 - our middle and high schools, our other healthcare 396 00:14:10.940 --> 00:14:12.480 - arenas in our community, 397 00:14:13.100 --> 00:14:16.000 - we have to be on this venture together 398 00:14:16.059 --> 00:14:16.559 - because 399 00:14:17.179 --> 00:14:20.379 - we're all facing the same workforce challenges. So 400 00:14:20.379 --> 00:14:22.139 - we have to come together to have the 401 00:14:22.139 --> 00:14:23.279 - same common goal 402 00:14:23.634 --> 00:14:24.454 - to implement 403 00:14:24.995 --> 00:14:26.454 - things such as apprenticeships 404 00:14:26.754 --> 00:14:30.194 - in our communities to provide sustainable workforce in 405 00:14:30.194 --> 00:14:31.254 - the state of Pennsylvania. 406 00:14:32.115 --> 00:14:34.914 - And it's essential, like we are really opening 407 00:14:34.914 --> 00:14:36.514 - up the doors for our middle and high 408 00:14:36.514 --> 00:14:38.054 - school students and partnering 409 00:14:38.690 --> 00:14:41.169 - with our high school and middle schools to 410 00:14:41.169 --> 00:14:42.789 - come in to have immersive 411 00:14:43.409 --> 00:14:43.909 - experiences. 412 00:14:44.610 --> 00:14:45.750 - And we have several. 413 00:14:46.210 --> 00:14:49.509 - So Baldwin High School comes into UPMC McGee, 414 00:14:49.730 --> 00:14:50.389 - they experience 415 00:14:50.769 --> 00:14:52.309 - every level because 416 00:14:53.084 --> 00:14:55.504 - for a student, they always hear about nursing 417 00:14:55.644 --> 00:14:57.725 - and physician. I wanna be a nurse or 418 00:14:57.725 --> 00:14:58.865 - I wanna be physician, 419 00:14:59.324 --> 00:15:01.584 - but news flash, not everybody does, 420 00:15:02.044 --> 00:15:04.384 - but we have so many multitudes 421 00:15:04.924 --> 00:15:05.584 - of positions 422 00:15:06.299 --> 00:15:09.179 - that students get to explore and say, yes, 423 00:15:09.179 --> 00:15:11.039 - I wanna be an imaging techs, 424 00:15:11.419 --> 00:15:13.519 - a tech. I want to be a surgical 425 00:15:13.659 --> 00:15:16.139 - tech. I want to do this. So there 426 00:15:16.139 --> 00:15:17.039 - are so many 427 00:15:17.419 --> 00:15:21.225 - avenues behind the scenes, even non patient facing, 428 00:15:21.284 --> 00:15:24.345 - such as finance, human resources, the health plan, 429 00:15:24.644 --> 00:15:27.524 - that we can show them, allow them to 430 00:15:27.524 --> 00:15:28.664 - shadow an experience. 431 00:15:29.284 --> 00:15:31.044 - And some will say, it's for me or 432 00:15:31.044 --> 00:15:32.879 - some will say, no, it's not for me. 433 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:35.700 - But that is that partnership that we 434 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:38.879 - need to have that essential for our young 435 00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:41.220 - to grow and to progress into careers, 436 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:43.220 - that they wanna be into. 437 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:45.759 - Absolutely. No. It's a great reminder there and 438 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:47.779 - and great bits of advice from you both. 439 00:15:48.125 --> 00:15:50.384 - Before we go, what else are we missing? 440 00:15:50.524 --> 00:15:51.504 - Any other details? 441 00:15:52.524 --> 00:15:54.445 - Last little bits you wanna add in for 442 00:15:54.445 --> 00:15:56.524 - the audience today. Brandy, you wanna start us 443 00:15:56.524 --> 00:15:57.024 - off? 444 00:15:57.565 --> 00:15:58.544 - I will say, 445 00:15:59.084 --> 00:15:59.584 - fortunately, 446 00:16:00.204 --> 00:16:01.345 - all of our apprenticeships 447 00:16:02.339 --> 00:16:05.059 - have been filled thus far because we've had 448 00:16:05.059 --> 00:16:07.379 - a huge interest and that's the good part. 449 00:16:07.379 --> 00:16:08.519 - But stay tuned 450 00:16:09.220 --> 00:16:11.700 - because if you're interested in any one of 451 00:16:11.700 --> 00:16:13.000 - our health care apprenticeships, 452 00:16:13.620 --> 00:16:14.600 - they will be available 453 00:16:14.980 --> 00:16:16.279 - in the year to come 454 00:16:16.695 --> 00:16:19.254 - on upmccareers.com, 455 00:16:19.254 --> 00:16:21.115 - and it will have that apprentice 456 00:16:21.735 --> 00:16:24.295 - right there in the job category so that 457 00:16:24.295 --> 00:16:25.274 - you can apply. 458 00:16:25.735 --> 00:16:28.875 - But I'm hoping people listening to this today 459 00:16:29.660 --> 00:16:31.519 - will take these apprenticeships 460 00:16:31.899 --> 00:16:33.899 - as soon as we have outcomes, and you 461 00:16:33.899 --> 00:16:36.300 - can run with it. You can run with 462 00:16:36.300 --> 00:16:38.800 - it, and you can build your own apprenticeships 463 00:16:39.019 --> 00:16:40.000 - in health care 464 00:16:40.300 --> 00:16:43.500 - that can help feed your workforce and create 465 00:16:43.500 --> 00:16:45.454 - meaningful careers for our community. 466 00:16:46.154 --> 00:16:47.995 - You know, Brandy and Jacob, as I was 467 00:16:47.995 --> 00:16:49.595 - listening to you there, Brandy, you know, I 468 00:16:49.595 --> 00:16:51.355 - I think the most beautiful thing is I 469 00:16:51.355 --> 00:16:53.194 - think about a couple individuals I know who 470 00:16:53.194 --> 00:16:55.274 - are in our apprenticeships and have gone through, 471 00:16:55.274 --> 00:16:57.595 - you know. You have people that we, of 472 00:16:57.595 --> 00:16:59.779 - course, they were on our Medicaid plan, part 473 00:16:59.779 --> 00:17:01.220 - of our family that we call it at 474 00:17:01.220 --> 00:17:04.259 - UPMC already. And then going through a training 475 00:17:04.259 --> 00:17:07.140 - program, becoming a nurse, becoming an imaging tech. 476 00:17:07.140 --> 00:17:09.700 - When Brandy explained, you know, that incredible career 477 00:17:09.700 --> 00:17:10.980 - to me and how you can start at 478 00:17:10.980 --> 00:17:13.424 - a younger age, get some credits, go have 479 00:17:13.424 --> 00:17:16.085 - very minimal debt, and be making a difference 480 00:17:16.384 --> 00:17:18.464 - in our communities. And I think what is 481 00:17:18.464 --> 00:17:20.144 - so beautiful, you know, someone who might have 482 00:17:20.144 --> 00:17:21.904 - been on Medicaid, had a challenge and buried 483 00:17:21.904 --> 00:17:23.825 - her work, you know, gets through these programs 484 00:17:23.825 --> 00:17:25.765 - and then is serving the very community 485 00:17:26.089 --> 00:17:27.529 - that they grew up in, you know, I 486 00:17:27.609 --> 00:17:30.490 - there's nothing greater in in my mind, you 487 00:17:30.490 --> 00:17:32.490 - know, than that. And that's that's who we 488 00:17:32.490 --> 00:17:34.650 - are at UPMC. That's our mission. That's how 489 00:17:34.650 --> 00:17:36.570 - we wanna show up, and we'll continue to 490 00:17:36.570 --> 00:17:38.730 - do this and highlight this so that, others 491 00:17:38.730 --> 00:17:39.134 - can, 492 00:17:39.535 --> 00:17:41.055 - see. And hopefully, we can, you know, have 493 00:17:41.055 --> 00:17:42.815 - this as a national model to support our 494 00:17:42.815 --> 00:17:44.355 - communities that makes us all stronger. 495 00:17:44.894 --> 00:17:46.815 - And, Jacob, if I can just add one 496 00:17:46.815 --> 00:17:49.875 - other thing, we have actually a second career 497 00:17:50.654 --> 00:17:53.315 - who is going into our farm tech apprentice 498 00:17:53.480 --> 00:17:55.799 - that wants to try something different. So it 499 00:17:55.799 --> 00:17:57.900 - doesn't matter what age you are 500 00:17:58.200 --> 00:18:00.700 - and you want a different career choice, 501 00:18:01.160 --> 00:18:01.660 - apprenticeship 502 00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:03.099 - is the way to go. 503 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:05.480 - Yeah. That's a great last point there, Brandy. 504 00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:07.934 - Appreciate that hook on. Thank you both so 505 00:18:07.934 --> 00:18:10.815 - much. Please keep us updated on the expansion 506 00:18:10.815 --> 00:18:12.654 - of Freedom House, how everything goes with the 507 00:18:12.654 --> 00:18:15.454 - EMT apprenticeship. We'd love to hear the progress 508 00:18:15.454 --> 00:18:16.914 - there and and what you achieve. 509 00:18:17.375 --> 00:18:19.134 - But thank you both so much for taking 510 00:18:19.134 --> 00:18:21.154 - the time and for sharing your expertise 511 00:18:21.539 --> 00:18:24.019 - with our audience. We really appreciate it. If 512 00:18:24.019 --> 00:18:25.619 - you'd like to listen to more podcast from 513 00:18:25.619 --> 00:18:29.080 - Becker's Healthcare, you can visit beckershospitalreview.com.