OHCWC Names New Chair and Confirms Board

Oklahoma City – Dr. Phil Berkenbile, state director, Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, was recently named chair of the governing board of the Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center (OHCWC). Last year, Berkenbile served as the vice chair of the OHCWC board. Berkenbile replaces Ron Webb who served as board chair for the past year. Webb continues to represent the Governor’s Council on Workforce and Economic Development as a member of the OHCWC board and executive committee.

Dr. Debbie Blanke, who is the designee for Glen D. Johnson, Chancellor for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education was elected vice chair. Blanke spent the previous two years serving as the secretary and then treasurer on the board’s executive committee. Claudean Harrison, representing the general public as a lay member, was elected secretary; and Jill Geiger, budget coordinator, Office of State Finance, was elected treasurer.

Retiring from the board are Jane Tune, Oklahoma Forensic Center, who served as treasurer for the past year, representing the Secretary of Health; and Rep. Doug Cox (R-Grove). New members of the board include Secretary of Health, Terri White; and Rep. Corey Holland (R-Marlowe), appointed by House Speaker, Chris Benge, to replace Dr. Cox.

Other individuals serving on the Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center governing board are: Sen. Susan Paddack (D-Ada); Sen. Brian Crain (R-Tulsa); Dr. Doyle Fortney, chief of human resources, Oklahoma State Department of Health representing the Commissioner of Health; Stanley F. Hupfeld, president and chief executive officer, INTEGRIS Health, Oklahoma City, representing the Oklahoma Hospital Association; Clare Delaney, RN, representing the Oklahoma Nurses Association; Dr. Ramona Paul, assistant state superintendent of public instruction, designee for the state superintendent of public instruction; Dr. Kevin Rudeen, dean, College of Allied Health, representing the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center; Dr. Steve Eddy, associate professor of family medicine, director of continuing medical education, representing the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences; Dr. Sherri Baker, representing the Oklahoma State Medical Association; Dr. Michael K. Cooper, representing the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association; and Marietta Lynch, RN, director of quality services, Oklahoma Association of Health Care Providers, representing the long-term care industry.

If current trends continue, Oklahoma is expected to have a shortage of more than 3,000 nurses, 500 lab technicians, 400 physical therapists, 300 surgical technologists and 200 occupational therapists by 2012. Other clinical workers in short supply include pharmacists, imaging technologists, emergency responders, mental health care professionals and respiratory therapists.

Primary goals of the Center are to: 1) Ensure current education and training systems have the needed resources and support to produce the needed numbers of health care graduates; 2) Increase job satisfaction and retention of employees in health care settings by sharing resources and best practices with employers; and 3) Increase awareness of health career opportunities in Oklahoma.

To date, support for the Center has come from in-kind contributions or financial contributions from the following organizations: the Oklahoma Hospital Association, Tulsa Hospital Council, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, Oklahoma State Department of Health and hospitals across Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center received non-profit status through articles of incorporation filed with the State of Oklahoma on April 20, 2009. For more information about the Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center, go to www.ohcwc.com, or call (405) 319-8690.

The Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center is a 501©(3) organization established in 2006 by Oklahoma legislation to serve as the coordinating entity for the state’s efforts to meet supply and demand needs for Oklahoma’s health care workforce. Goals of the Center include: ensuring Oklahoma’s current education and training systems have the resources and support necessary to produce the number of health care workers needed; increasing the job satisfaction and retention rates of current health care workers; and increasing the level of awareness among young people and adults of the opportunities available in health care. For more information about the Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center, visit www.ohcwc.com.

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