Building a healthier Virginia: How HCA Virginia is growing the commonwealth's healthcare workforce
When Laura Byram walked the stage to pick up her diploma, she became one of the hundreds of nurses that HCA Virginia has helped to enter the commonwealth’s healthcare workforce over the last two years in partnership with Galen College of Nursing.
Byram was working as a technician in Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center’s behavioral health unit when she began to think seriously about nursing school.
“I’ve always wanted to be a nurse. My mom’s a nurse, so I got to see her go through nursing school when I was growing up. Seeing the way she changed people’s lives really motivated me to want to help people,” she said.
The team at Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center encouraged Byram and she entered Galen College of Nursing’s 2-year associate’s degree program at their new Richmond campus. Byram benefitted from significant tuition assistance, thanks to HCA Healthcare’s partnership with the nursing school.
She was able to complete her training at Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center and will return to the hospital’s behavioral health unit with a new title – Registered Nurse.
“I just love my unit and I love the people. They always supported me no matter what and were just my biggest cheerleaders,” she said, adding that the faculty at Galen were “absolutely phenomenal.”
As the seventh largest private employer in the Commonwealth and a major healthcare system in the state, HCA Virginia’s partnership with Galen is just one of the many ways the health system is committed to addressing critical workforce shortages in the healthcare field head-on to positively impact the current—and future—state of healthcare while boosting Virginia’s overall economy.
Staffing shortages and other healthcare challenges were only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which placed incredible strain on the healthcare delivery system nationwide. And while the predicament is not unique to Virginia, the Commonwealth feels the pressure acutely due to an aging population, rising demand, barriers to training and other factors.
The shortage of healthcare workers in American hospitals is expected to reach 10 million by 2030. Since 2020, 1 in 5 front-line healthcare workers across the industry has left their job, according to data from the World Health Organization.
With widespread workforce shortages across the healthcare industry expected to persist through the next decade, HCA Virginia is training workers and opening doors to lifelong, fulfilling careers in a way that HCA Healthcare’s national network is uniquely qualified to support.
“Academic and community partnerships are essential to strengthening the healthcare workforce while providing meaningful career paths to students in the Commonwealth,” said Dr. Yvette Dorsey, associate vice president of academic affairs, HCA Healthcare Capital Division. “Utilizing our far-reaching resources and expertise, we are creating opportunities while ensuring hospitals will be staffed with highly trained professionals dedicated to patient care for years to come.”
Nursing
One of the most pressing areas of need is nursing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 193,100 openings for RNs annually through 2032. In Virginia, the need is even more pronounced with BLS data showing a ratio of 10.52 nurses per 1,000 people compared to the national average of 12.06 nurses per 1,000 people.
As a way of proactively addressing this need, HCA Healthcare became a majority owner in Galen College of Nursing in 2020, forming the largest academic-practice partnership in U.S. healthcare.
In Virginia, a new state-of-the-art Galen campus opened in Richmond in 2021 as a premier destination for those interested in pursuing nursing careers while helping the nation’s increasing nursing workforce needs. A second Galen campus opened in Roanoke in 2023. Just one year later, the two campuses graduated more than 170 new nurses.
HCA Virginia has also partnered with Northern Virginia Community College’s (NOVA) nursing program on the state’s Earn to Learn (ETL) Nursing Education Acceleration Program. As part of the program’s effort to address the critical shortage of nurses throughout Virginia, NOVA nursing students have the option to get paid while doing their clinical training at HCA Healthcare facilities, including Reston Hospital Center, StoneSprings Hospital Center and Dominion Hospital.
Other specialties
In September 2024, HCA Virginia invested $3 million in Richmond's first community college radiology program. Partnering with Brightpoint Community College, the program on the campus of Chippenham Hospital addresses one of the most in-demand health care professions in Virginia by growing the imaging workforce.
The inaugural cohort of students began classes in August 2024 and is expected to graduate in May 2026. As part of the investment, HCA Virginia will provide $625,000 in full scholarships over the next five years to support students in the program.
The demand for imaging technologists has grown significantly in recent years, partly because of the increase in freestanding emergency departments and ambulatory surgery centers, which offer care closer to patients’ homes.
In Southwest Virginia, LewisGale Hospital Alleghany last year partnered with Virginia Western Community College to launch a new Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) Program at Mountain Gateway Community College.
Medical laboratory technologists are another in-demand profession who carry out diagnostic testing on the blood and body fluids of patients.
Expanding the pipeline
Recognizing the importance of early engagement, HCA Virginia is also cultivating interest in healthcare careers among middle and high school students. An interactive medical classroom at Vernon Johns Middle School is the result of a partnership between HCA Virginia, Communities In Schools of Petersburg, Inc. and Petersburg City Public Schools, aimed at enhancing educational opportunities for middle school students interested in pursuing careers in the medical field.
The initiative, made possible by a $25K grant from HCA Healthcare Capital Division, led to the creation of a state-of-the-art medical classroom that provides hands-on learning experiences and early exposure to the various pathways available in healthcare careers.
The medical classroom is designed to simulate real-world medical environments, incorporating advanced medical technology, anatomy models and interactive learning tools. Students will engage in practical exercises and receive guidance from experienced healthcare professionals, creating an immersive learning experience that fosters curiosity and ambition.
In 2024, HCA Virginia, through HCA Healthcare Foundation’s Healthier Tomorrow Fund, also announced a $50,000 grant to expand access to healthcare education among college students across the Commonwealth.
The grant award to The Virginia Foundation for Community College Education will fund expanding Virginia Western Community College’s joint venture model, offering community college students across Virginia access to a broader range of programs, including radiation oncology, medical lab technicians and surgical technology.
And in Northern Virginia, a $40,000 donation to the Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) Medical Education Campus Fund will allow the foundation to increase the learning space for students enrolled in nursing, sonography, radiologic technology, and phlebotomy programs.
Through these multifaceted partnerships and investments, HCA Virginia is actively strengthening the healthcare workforce, providing meaningful career paths and ensuring high-quality patient care for years to come.
Deonte Dance is a testament to that. Working for LewisGale Medical Center in Salem managing medical equipment at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was inspired to become a healthcare provider.
When Galen College of Nursing opened its Roanoke campus in 2023, he eagerly enrolled, securing a full scholarship due to his affiliation with an HCA Virginia hospital. He now works for LewisGale Medical Center as a Progressive Care Unit nurse.
“I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of,” Dance said. “Galen and HCA just made it an easy decision for me and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to be able to help somebody leave in a better way than they came in.”