Members of Congress and state legislators should support initiatives that promote health care provider education. The supply of health care workers will not increase without adequate educational opportunities. Hospitals can do their part by partnering with local colleges, providing clinical training sites, and offering educational assistance. However, major policy initiatives must round out the package to make any substantial progress in addressing the shortage. Federal and state lawmakers should:

• Support recruitment and retention efforts, scholarships, loans, and loan forgiveness for those working in under-served areas.
  
  
• Support efforts to diversify the workforce.
  
  
• Support initiatives that provide funding for nursing education programs, particularly those that focus on preparation of nursing instructors.
  
  
• Provide reimbursement or tax credits to hospitals and other health care facilities when they provide resources for clinical training.
  
  
• Increase funding for graduate medical education payments that provide critical support for physician training.

A multi-faceted approach to education improvements is required in order to make headway in solving the health care personnel shortage.