Salt Lake City—Intermountain Health, University of Utah Health, and 15 health systems across the country signed the “Impact Workforce Commitment” (IWC) to build healthy and equitable local economies through hiring and workforce development programs and policies. 

The IWC, designed in partnership with the Healthcare Anchor Network (HAN) members and the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, promotes aligning hiring and workforce power with clinical and community efforts to provide opportunities for individuals who face barriers to employment, including access to education and training, socioeconomic challenges, and geographic barriers that impact rural communities. In addition, the commitment aims to improve societal health and well-being by creating economic opportunities.

Developing strong community partnerships is critical to building a more dynamic and diverse workforce that better represents local and rural communities. As part of the Impact Workforce Commitment with HAN, Intermountain Health and University of Utah Health have recently partnered with the Utah Office of Refugee Services and other community-based organizations to develop pathway programs to train and hire New Americans into health care careers. (The American Library Association defines “New Americans” as people who might consider themselves new arrivals in the US and anyone who is a non-native English language speaker.) These intentional pathways from training programs into entry-level roles such as phlebotomist, medical assistant, or pharmacy tech will open the door to career growth opportunities in health care. 

“Intermountain and the University of Utah have been critical partners in building career pathways for refugees that lead to long-term success,” says Asha Parekh, Director of the Utah Office of Refugee Services. “Refugees are finding more than jobs—they are acquiring new skills, starting careers, and earning enough to support their families. It’s the difference between arriving and thriving. We are proud that, together, we can offer these new opportunities.” 

Similar partnerships and pathway programs are currently in development with other populations and communities.

As members of the Healthcare Anchor Network and signers of the IWC, Intermountain Health and University of Utah Health have committed to: 

• By 2027, hire at least 10% of new hires annually from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods by developing intentional pathways into jobs that require less than a bachelor’s degree. 
• Increase the number of employees promoted from positions that require less than a bachelor’s degree into higher skilled, higher wage roles through direct investment in workforce development. These investments could include apprenticeships, other earn-and-learn programs, tuition advancement, initiatives, and internal policy changes. 
• Advance advocacy to accelerate workforce development policies at state and federal levels.
• Create a dedicated financial support program for employees, advance equity in benefits utilization, and help employees achieve long-term financial stability through 403(b) or 401(k) auto-enrollment and auto-escalation to build retirement savings.
• Ensure fair and equitable leadership development and advancement at all health system levels. 

Intermountain Health and University of Utah Health have also committed to collecting and submitting data on their progress toward these goals to the Healthcare Anchor Network to ensure accountability and transparency. 

In addition to Intermountain Health and University of Utah Health, other health systems adopting the Impact Workforce Commitment include Advocate Health, Baystate Health, Bon Secours Mercy Health, CHRISTUS Health, Cleveland Clinic, CommonSpirit Health, Dartmouth Health, Fairview Health Services, Froedtert Health, Hawaii Pacific Health, Providence, Rush University System for Health, The MetroHealth System, University Hospitals in Cleveland, and the University of California, San Francisco.

“By providing stable jobs, benefits, and career ladders for lower-income individuals, these health systems are not only making a positive impact on the lives of their employees but also the communities they serve,” says David Zuckerman, President of the Healthcare Anchor Network. 

The Healthcare Anchor Network (HAN) supports health systems to accelerate learning and local implementation of economic inclusion strategies. The HAN hospitals and health systems together employ more than two million people, purchase more than $75 billion annually, and have over $150 billion in investment assets.