Idaho has a severe shortage of healthcare workers. The Gem State ranks at or near the bottom of the nation in doctors per capita, behavioral health providers per capita, and just about every other healthcare profession.

The Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health is dedicated to giving back to Idaho, and that means meeting the needs of our state. Right now, Idaho needs more healthcare workers.

Since September is Workforce Development Month, we are highlighting some of the work we’ve supported that contributes to growing Idaho’s healthcare workforce.

Career Technical Education Programs

We’ve helped 30 Idaho school districts either launch or expand their health professions career technical education programs. These programs, which include certified nursing assistant, dental assisting, pharmacy technician, rehabilitation services, and emergency medical technician, prepare high school students for in-demand healthcare careers. Here are some success stories from Butte County High School, Sugar-Salem High School, and Moscow High School.

Healthcare Vitality Series

We supported a learning series by Project ECHO that focused on healthcare worker burnout and what could be done to prevent workers from leaving the healthcare field, which negatively impacts our healthcare system.

College Scholarships

We offer scholarships at most colleges and universities in Idaho that are for students with healthcare majors who are from Idaho.

Healthcare Workforce Advisory Group

For the past few years, we have served as a convener, bringing together key stakeholders from more than 30 organizations focused on Idaho’s healthcare workforce shortage. This group meets a few times per year and is actively looking at current data, solutions, and paths forward to grow the healthcare workforce in Idaho.

From research with this group, one of the recommendations was to improve preceptorships and apprenticeships in Idaho. Preceptors are experienced practitioners who supervise and guide students in clinical settings to facilitate practical experience and the development of necessary skills.

The Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation offered grants in 2024 and 2025 to organizations that added preceptors so college students in healthcare fields could get the clinical hours they needed without leaving the state. This increases the likelihood that students remain in Idaho after graduation and join the healthcare workforce.

The Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation will continue to give back to our state by continually looking for ways to increase the quantity and quality of Idaho’s healthcare workforce.