Unique Partnership Launches First Pathway to Healthcare IT Jobs

Optimum Healthcare IT joins with University of North Florida to launch first apprenticeship program for electronic medical records jobs

Optimum Healthcare IT and the University of North Florida (UNF) today announced a partnership to provide a revolutionary new pathway to good healthcare IT jobs for graduating students.

As millions of Americans are newly unemployed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and more younger Americans are underemployed due to a lack of digital skills and business knowledge employers are seeking, it is a crucial time to develop new frictionless pathways to robust jobs in growing sectors of the economy.

One key area is healthcare technology, particularly in the electronic health records (EHR) systems that have become so central to patient care. According to Burning Glass, there are over 40,000 open jobs relating to implementing, configuring, activating and integrating EHRs. Until now, there has not been a college or university that has hosted training on specific EHR platforms.

Optimum Healthcare IT, a Best in KLAS healthcare staffing and consulting services firm focused on EHRs and other healthcare technologies, is launching America’s first EHR apprenticeship program hosted by UNF at the University’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in downtown Jacksonville.

Both new and recent graduates can apply for the apprenticeship program. Accepted applicants will be hired by Optimum and paid as apprentices from the start of the 12-week training program. After completing training, apprentices will join Optimum project teams serving healthcare systems across the U.S. Ultimately, Optimum expects hospital clients to hire the apprentices.

Optimum Executive Chairman Gene Scheurer said he is excited to partner with UNF to provide a solution for hospitals in desperate need of trained EHR talent.

Without the trained EHR talent they need, healthcare organizations are struggling to reap the fruits of the digital revolution in healthcare in terms of improving patient outcomes and reducing costs, said Scheurer. Optimum is investing in high potential graduates, providing them the exact skills our clients are seeking, and a pathway to great careers in healthcare technology.

UNF President David Szymanski said this new partnership is just one of many examples of UNF’s commitment to helping graduates get quality jobs.

With the appointment of UNF’s first Vice President of Jobs, our University has a dedicated position in creating strong job opportunities for our students, and we are excited to be hosting America’s first apprenticeship program for electronic health records, said President Szymanski. Thousands of current and future UNF graduates will benefit from this streamlined pathway to obtain great first jobs in the growing healthcare IT sector.

Optimum CEO Jason Jarrett added that the program would not only be frictionless for apprentices, who will be paid as employees during the company-sponsored training, but also for Optimum’s hospital clients.

One of the major causes of the skills gap in healthcare IT is that healthcare organizations are unwilling to take a risk on unproven talent, said Jarrett. The Optimum apprenticeship program will allow our clients to evaluate the performance of apprentices on projects before deciding if they wish to hire them. We expect this program to make a major contribution to closing America’s skills gap in healthcare technology.

About Optimum Healthcare IT
Optimum Healthcare IT is a Best in KLAS healthcare IT staffing and consulting services firm based in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Optimum provides world-class professional staffing services to fill any need as well as consulting services that encompass advisory, EHR implementation, training and activation, EHR optimization, community connect, managed services, enterprise resource planning, security, and ancillary services – supporting our client’s needs through the continuum of care. Our organization is led by a leadership team with extensive experience in providing expert healthcare staffing and consulting solutions to all types of organizations.

Visit www.optimumhit.com or call 1.904.373.0831 to find out how your organization can take advantage of our solution offerings.

About University of North Florida
UNF is a nationally ranked university in Jacksonville, Florida, nestled on a beautiful 1,300-acre nature preserve. The University features six colleges of distinction, nationally recognized flagship programs, and offers 60 bachelor’s degree programs and over 75 areas of concentration. UNF offers a unique student-centered academic experience that is creating the next generation of thinkers, leaders, and problem solvers. More information at www.unf.edu.

For further questions, please contact:

Optimum Healthcare IT
Susie Morgan
Chief Human Resources Officer
Optimum Healthcare IT
(904) 373-0831
[email protected]

University of North Florida
Ginny Walthour
Media Relations Director
University of North Florida
(904) 620-2102
[email protected]