New Website Ramps Up Efforts to Attract Healthcare Professionals to Kitsap

Kitsap Community Health Priorities (KCHP) and KEDA recently joined forces to launch a new website, KitsapHealthCareers.org, in an effort to showcase and strengthen Kitsap County’s healthcare workforce.  

Kitsap Community Health Priorities (KCHP) and Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) recently joined forces to launch a new website, KitsapHealthCareers.org, in an effort to showcase and strengthen Kitsap County’s healthcare workforce. 

“The kitsaphealthcareers.org webpage is a result of the collective work happening as part of KCHP, led by Kitsap Public Health District. KCHP is a multiyear process that engages partners and leaders in reviewing data, identifying community health priorities, and implementing strategies to address them,” said Leah Neff Warner, an epidemiologist in the Assessment and Epidemiology Program at Kitsap Public Health District.

At the heart of this work is the belief that Kitsap’s health systems are connected and dependent on one another, she added.

“Everyone benefits when healthcare professionals join the workforce here,” she said. 

KEDA Executive Director Joe Morrison echoed that sentiment.

“KitsapHealthCareers.org is a powerful example of what’s possible when partners come together around a shared priority,” Morrison said. “At KEDA, we see workforce as the foundation of a strong economy, and healthcare is one of the most critical sectors for our region’s future. We’re proud to partner with Kitsap Community Health Priorities and our healthcare leaders to help build a more connected, accessible pipeline of talent—one that not only supports providers, but ensures our residents continue to receive high-quality care close to home.”

Engaging and Promoting Kitsap’s Healthcare Job Postings

The goal was to design a user-friendly platform to engage and promote local job postings and educational pathways, enabling healthcare professionals to easily explore a wide range of careers with hospitals, schools, tribes, and various healthcare systems.

As an added bonus, they also get a glimpse of the many benefits of living and working in the West Sound region.

“I am most excited about the collaborative process that got us to this point. Over the past two years, the Health District and healthcare leaders have consistently come together to create and realize the vision for the webpage. Along the way, we discussed impacts of federal health policy changes and brainstormed potential mitigation strategies. The webpage is an example of this broader effort to work together to provide better access to care in our community,” said Warner.  

Healthcare Access Remains a Priority Focus for Kitsap 

The development of the webpage comes on the heels of KCHP partners identifying healthcare access as one of three priority areas of focus for 2024.

“Healthcare system partners then formed a workgroup to focus on healthcare workforce  shortages, developing a collective marketing strategy around recruitment, retention, and early career opportunities. The webpage is at the center of this strategy,” said Warner.

The project is ramping up efforts to address ongoing workforce challenges in various healthcare fields throughout our region.

“It is a platform that partners across the healthcare sector can use to support and expand their own recruitment efforts and increase the local workforce,” said Warner.  

An Ongoing Effort to Provide Residents with Excellent Care

Beyond the new page, a bigger story is unfolding around all the work happening to build out healthcare infrastructure and workforce locally, from patient care to training and education. 

Olympic College and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) recently secured a $10.5M public-private partnership to expand healthcare training at the Poulsbo campus, with a goal of training 600+ students annually by 2027.
 

VMFH contributed $2.5M toward the Health Sciences Expansion, which will include programs in radiology, surgical tech, ultrasound, and nursing, plus an Allied Healthcare Academy focused on reducing barriers to entry.

Chad Melton, President of St. Michael Medical Center and KEDA Board Chair has been a major driver behind this work and was recently named WEDA’s Economic Development Advocate of the Year.

“Partners have gone beyond just talking about healthcare access challenges in our community to form partnerships and implement innovative solutions together,” said Warner.