Palm Coast, FL – The City of Palm Coast took a monumental step in advancing its healthcare sector by orchestrating a Palm Coast Healthcare Roundtable Meeting on December 8, 2023. Spearheaded by Assistant City Manager Lauren Johnston and Chief of Staff Jason DeLorenzo, the event gathered key stakeholders from healthcare, educational, and commercial institutions to fortify relationships, foster workforce development, and tackle challenges facing the city’s healthcare sector.
Representatives from diverse entities including Flagler Schools, University of North Florida (UNF), Jacksonville University (JU), Daytona State College (DSC), UF Health, AdventHealth, Flagler CARES, SMA Healthcare, Career Source Flagler, Flagler County Government, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), Florida Health Care Plans (FHCP), PNC Healthcare, JD Medical, and the Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce contributed to the comprehensive discussions.
Expressing gratitude, Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin emphasized the significance of the moment, stating, “This is a perfect example of smart, managed growth. Today, we take the first step toward the future, creating a model for regional and statewide collaboration in healthcare.”
Key Initiatives and Discussions:
- City Investment in Healthcare Training: The Palm Coast City Council is committed to establishing the city as a regional hub for healthcare training to address existing gaps and support the growth of the healthcare sector.
- Strengthening Relationships: The session focused on enhancing collaboration among healthcare providers and local stakeholders, fostering a supportive environment for growth and development.
- Affordable Student Housing: Concerns were raised about inadequate housing options for students, particularly impacting programs offered by JU and UNF. A potential solution presented in the meeting is exploring partnerships with existing apartment complexes to provide reduced rates for student housing.
- Workforce Development: Discussions included the Chamber’s report on the significant role healthcare plays in the job market, with nurse practitioners topping the list of the fastest-growing jobs. Six out of the top 10 faster occupations are healthcare-related.
- Addressing Workforce Challenges: With healthcare-related occupations dominating the list of fastest-growing jobs, the collaboration aims to bridge the gap in workforce housing, particularly for healthcare students and professionals.
- Retaining Local Talent: Discussions included the imperative to retain local talent graduating from Flagler Schools. While many funnel into programs at DSC, UNF, and JU in Palm Coast, others leave for larger cities. The conversation centered on strategies to retain these students, ensuring the local workforce benefits from their talent, and establishing Palm Coast as a place to live, learn, work, and play.
Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore spoke at length about the current industry certifications already available through Flagler Schools to students. She said, “Our students should walk away with more than just a diploma. Each student has the opportunity to walk away with some sort of industry certifications.” Students can walk away with multiple industry certifications, further enhancing their preparedness for the workforce. Through this group of stakeholders, the School District is seeking input on additional programs or certifications that may be added to the schools’ curriculum in the future.
While the city meets with these stakeholders individually on a quarterly basis, this marks the first time the city has convened the entire healthcare stakeholder group together. This represents a significant step towards a unified vision for the future of healthcare in Palm Coast.
Stay informed with the latest news and information from the City of Palm Coast by following us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. You can sign up for weekly updates by visiting www.palmcoastgov.com/government/city-manager/week-in-review.
