Emily McNish

NC AHEC Future Health Professionals Week, March 8–14 Tuesday, March 10 Highlight: Health Careers in Demand Today, as part of NC AHEC's Future Health Professionals Week, we’re shining a light on the critical shortage of healthcare workers across North Carolina — especially in rural and underserved communities. This crisis affects every one of us: our families, our neighbors, and our friends. A statewide report from September 2025 revealed that nearly one third of Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) positions are unfilled, and 13% of Registered Nurse (RN) roles remain vacant, leaving remaining staff stretched thin and patients waiting longer for care (https://lnkd.in/dPkCtcQt). Cardinal & Pine reported that a 2021 Sheps Center study projected North Carolina would face a shortfall of 12,500 registered nurses by 2033, and that the shortage could nearly double when factoring in burnout and early retirements. Amid these shortages, Community Health Workers (CHWs) play a vital role in bridging the gap between marginalized communities and the healthcare system. They help manage chronic diseases, increase health literacy, and connect residents to social services. By serving as trusted local liaisons, CHWs improve outcomes, reduce unnecessary ER visits and hospital readmissions, and provide cost effective care — with an estimated $11.20 return for every $1 invested (https://lnkd.in/dXgjHskH). To learn more about the pathway to becoming a CHW, visit https://lnkd.in/eh-grQXT. And, to see more about NC AHEC's connection to CHWs, visit https://lnkd.in/gYHSh_Kn. To keep North Carolina healthy, we need more future healthcare workers ready to step in and make a difference – are you ready? https://lnkd.in/e2FUuX-G #FutureHealthNC #NCAHEC #HealthCareers

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Georgia’s healthcare sector spans pediatric systems, urgent care platforms, oncology-focused technology providers, and regional health networks. Cybersecurity leaders in this space must protect sensitive patient data and clinical systems while supporting care delivery, compliance, and modernization across very different healthcare environments. The Cybersecurity Leaders to Watch in Georgia’s healthcare sector include: Diab Hitti - GoHealth Urgent Care Antonio Davis, EMBA, CISO-CMU, CISM, CRISC, CHISL - Northeast Georgia Health System Robert Maddrey, MBA, CISM - OncoHealth Stoddard Manikin - Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Richard Thomas - Crisp Regional Health Services These leaders reflect the depth of cybersecurity leadership across Georgia healthcare, helping secure urgent care, pediatric medicine, oncology platforms, and regional health systems where resilience and patient trust are essential. #CISO #Cybersecurity #HealthcareSecurity #HealthTech #Georgia #PatientData #RiskManagement #CyberLeadership Read the article: https://lnkd.in/gZ_38XQG

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𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲. But innovation without infrastructure creates risk, not progress. GaHIN provides the secure, statewide health information exchange that enables responsible AI adoption across Georgia. By connecting hospitals, laboratories, behavioral health providers, rural health systems, and community organizations, GaHIN ensures the data powering AI tools is complete, accurate, and interoperable. AI solutions depend on: • Timely access to longitudinal patient records  • Cross-setting clinical visibility  • Secure, standards-based data exchange  • Whole-person data that includes behavioral and social context ▶️GaHIN delivers that connectivity. As healthcare organizations explore predictive analytics, risk stratification, and AI-assisted clinical decision support, GaHIN strengthens the data foundation required to support safe, ethical, and clinically sound innovation. AI does not replace care coordination. It enhances it. 💡By ensuring the right data reaches the right provider at the right time, GaHIN creates the conditions where AI can improve outcomes, strengthen patient safety, and support whole-person care across Georgia. #HealthIT #Interoperability #AIinHealthcare #WholePersonCare #HealthData #GeorgiaHealthcare

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#Spotlight 10 (2005): Georgia Health Policy Center launched its systems thinking work, mapping how social factors block access to health across 8 southern states for the Southern Regional Health Consortium. #SpotlightOn30 #30YearsofImpact #30for30 #30thAnniversary Read more: https://t.gsu.edu/42RWptt

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Each year, the Georgia Health Initiative publishes Insights on Medicaid in Georgia. The goal is clarity. Helping legislators, administrators, and partners see how Medicaid impacts communities across the state. Our role at GD Squared was to turn that clarity into something useful. We designed a spiral-bound publication that feels approachable, stays true to the brand, and transforms complex data into charts, maps, and visuals people can actually use. The result is a practical resource that supports better conversations and more informed decisions across Georgia. #InformationDesign #DataVisualization #DesignForGood #GraphicDesign

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🎥 “We didn’t have that level of data before — now it’s critical.” Hear Christopher Obafunwa, Director of Health IT at the Louisiana Primary Care Association discuss how they are using #AzaraDRVS to advance their value-based care initiatives and better manage contracts.

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