HARTSELLE — Hospitals are still dealing with staffing shortages following the COVID-19 pandemic, but medical professionals hope local health science programs on the high school and collegiate levels will eventually fill the medical workforce and increase interest in health care careers across Morgan County. Every school district in Morgan County has a health sciences program. Kelli Powers, president and CEO of Decatur Morgan Hospital and one of the panelists at the 2024 State of Healthcare program in Hartselle on Tuesday, said it is a luxury to have potential hires from those school districts in the neighborhood.
“I was talking to a former teacher and she said back in the day they had (home economics) and we had all these different things but we really weren’t focused on health care like we are today,” Powers said. “There is so much opportunity in health care.” The event was hosted by the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to Powers, panelists included Dr. William Smith, chief medical officer of the Cullman Regional Medical Center; Kenneth Kirkland, dean of Health Sciences at Calhoun Community College; Deborah Hoover, director of the nursing program at Wallace State Community College; and Lynne Shelton, director of Hartselle High School’s Medical Academy Program. Moderator Mike Tucker, owner of LifeWork Physical Therapy, began the discussion by asking the panel about staff and recruitment programs to hire more physicians and nurses.
According to Pow.