ODESSA, Texas — Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center hosted ‘Building the Basin’ in Odessa on Tuesday. The event was a summit focused on the workforce of health care in the Permian Basin.
Like many industries right now, there is a shortage in health care, and that’s a problem that must be combatted. The event brought together people from all over the West Texas and even parts of New Mexico to collaborate, innovate, inspire and inform.
Health care has always been, and always will be, an important part of a community, and the need for a quality workforce continues to be prominent.
Medical, academia and community personnel were on hand to work together to find ways to strengthen the local health care workforce in the Permian Basin.
“The purpose of us coming together and sponsoring this event is to build momentum toward building the workforce, the health care workforce for the Permian Basin,” said Timothy Benton, M.D., TTUHSC School of Medicine regional dean. “You know we anticipate growth in the community, growth in the population, so as the community grows, we also need to deliver that health care workforce. Everyone needs health care at some point.”
The summit also took a proactive approach to focusing on getting talented health care moving forward.
“It’s important that we make sure that we have workers in our future that can provide the skills needed to take care of our…people, our families, our coworkers, and just looking to the future,” said Renee Earls, president and CEO of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce.
When it comes to where that talent can come from, retention in West Texas is certainly a point of emphasis.
“And it is really, really important for us to get together to make sure that our environment here in the community, or across West Texas is one that’s conducive to people seeing that from here it’s possible and seeing that they can make a living and make an impact with themselves, or for themselves and their families here,” said Martin Ortega, M.D., TTUHSC School of Medicine regional chair of family medicine. “That is something that is incredibly important now and will be into the future.”
While homegrown workers and retaining top talent in the Permian Basin is important, recruiting outside the Permian Basin for more of a health care force is also key, with the challenges there residing in creating an attractive area for prospective employees to live in when away from the job.