The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society will present their solutions to address workforce challenges in the long-term care industry to elected officials at the 2023 American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living Congressional Briefing. The briefing provides AHCA/NCAL members with the opportunity to personally connect with elected officials and collaborate with other industry leaders. Good Samaritan Society’s executive leadership will participate in the briefing to discuss ongoing workforce challenges and the potential impact of a proposed minimum staffing mandate for skilled nursing facilities, which is expected to be released by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services this month. The Good Samaritan Society has launched creative workforce solutions and made historic investments in its people since the pandemic, but staffing challenges persist.
Based on Sanford Health News, The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, the largest provider of senior care and services in the US, will be sharing innovative solutions to address workforce challenges in the long-term care industry with elected officials at the 2023 American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) Congressional Briefing on June 5-6. The invite-only briefing provides AHCA/NCAL members with the opportunity to connect with elected officials, gain insight on the latest legislative and policy developments, and collaborate with other industry leaders.
Among the Good Samaritan Society executive leadership participating in the briefing are Nate Schema, president and CEO, Aimee Middleton, vice president of operations, Wanda Harris, executive director of human res, and Tom Syverson, director of governmental affairs. As an integrated health system with Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the country, the Good Samaritan Society has launched creative workforce solutions and made historic investments in its people since the pandemic, which include starting pay, bonuses, training and education, flexible scheduling options, benefits, and well-being support. Despite these efforts, staffing challenges persist.
The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) is expected to release a proposed minimum staffing mandate for skilled nursing facilities this month. Good Samaritan Society leaders will discuss what’s at stake with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and explore solutions to address ongoing workforce challenges. “We foresee an access crisis unfolding if an unfunded, one-size-fits-all minimum staffing requirement is enforced in skilled nursing facilities, and unfortunately, our nation’s seniors will pay the price,” said Schema. “Seniors living in rural areas will be disproportionately impacted by any unfunded mandate. Approximately 70% of the Good Samaritan Society’s long-term care residents live in rural communities,” Schema added. “We need ongoing, comprehensive investments to ensure our most vulnerable residents have access to the care they need and deserve no matter where they live. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to advocate for our residents and team members and to discuss these key issues with legislators on Capitol Hill.”
Schema, along with AHCA/NCAL CEO Mark Parkinson and other industry representatives, will discuss the long-term care industry’s workforce challenges and explore potential solutions with elected officials at the congressional briefing. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of having a strong and resilient workforce in the long-term care industry, and the Good Samaritan Society is committed to finding innovative solutions to address staffing challenges and ensure that seniors receive the care they need and deserve.
