Combating Staffing Shortages: Strategies for Hiring Spanish-Speaking Staff at Georgia’s HIV/AIDS Clinics and Health Departments
Abstract
Background: During an investigation into increasing HIV diagnoses among Hispanic/Latino men who have sex with men (MSM), the Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH), in collaboration with local and federal partners, found that a lack of Spanish-speaking providers was a key barrier to patients receiving prevention and care services. To better understand how to address these staffing shortages, GDPH conducted in-depth interviews with subject matter experts on best practices for hiring and retaining Spanish-speaking staff in HIV/AIDS clinics and on HIV/AIDS teams at health departments.
Methods: Between July-September 2022, we conducted semi-structured interviews with six healthcare service providers in metro Atlanta with expertise in hiring Spanish-speaking staff. Most were fluent in Spanish and all provided services that Hispanic/Latino MSM utilize. Respondents included leadership personnel, physicians, and a human resources expert. Through 30–60-minute interviews, we asked respondents about job requirements, compensation, recruitment and retention strategies, and barriers to hiring Spanish-speaking staff. We conducted a thematic analysis of interview notes using the MAXQDA qualitative analysis software.
Results: Respondents provided detailed strategies to increase hiring of Spanish-speaking staff, including raising salaries of those with Spanish fluency, implementing employee referral programs, collaborating with Hispanic/Latino CBOs for targeted recruitment, and growing Hispanic/Latino representation at all organizational levels. Leadership investment and changes to human resources frameworks were seen as essential. Barriers to hiring included overly restrictive degree requirements, below-market pay and benefits, and overwhelming staff with additional translation tasks outside of their designated responsibilities.
Conclusion: Subject matter experts believed many of the barriers to hiring Spanish-speaking staff could be overcome if HIV clinics and health departments committed to implementing the key strategies discussed. Sharing these findings directly with HIV/AIDS clinics, health departments, and other stakeholders is a critical next step in helping to curb staffing shortages, and ultimately improving HIV/AIDS care for Georgia’s Spanish-speaking clients.
Keywords
HIV/AIDS, healthcare staffing, Hispanic/Latino health
Combating Staffing Shortages: Strategies for Hiring Spanish-Speaking Staff at Georgia’s HIV/AIDS Clinics and Health Departments
Background: During an investigation into increasing HIV diagnoses among Hispanic/Latino men who have sex with men (MSM), the Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH), in collaboration with local and federal partners, found that a lack of Spanish-speaking providers was a key barrier to patients receiving prevention and care services. To better understand how to address these staffing shortages, GDPH conducted in-depth interviews with subject matter experts on best practices for hiring and retaining Spanish-speaking staff in HIV/AIDS clinics and on HIV/AIDS teams at health departments.
Methods: Between July-September 2022, we conducted semi-structured interviews with six healthcare service providers in metro Atlanta with expertise in hiring Spanish-speaking staff. Most were fluent in Spanish and all provided services that Hispanic/Latino MSM utilize. Respondents included leadership personnel, physicians, and a human resources expert. Through 30–60-minute interviews, we asked respondents about job requirements, compensation, recruitment and retention strategies, and barriers to hiring Spanish-speaking staff. We conducted a thematic analysis of interview notes using the MAXQDA qualitative analysis software.
Results: Respondents provided detailed strategies to increase hiring of Spanish-speaking staff, including raising salaries of those with Spanish fluency, implementing employee referral programs, collaborating with Hispanic/Latino CBOs for targeted recruitment, and growing Hispanic/Latino representation at all organizational levels. Leadership investment and changes to human resources frameworks were seen as essential. Barriers to hiring included overly restrictive degree requirements, below-market pay and benefits, and overwhelming staff with additional translation tasks outside of their designated responsibilities.
Conclusion: Subject matter experts believed many of the barriers to hiring Spanish-speaking staff could be overcome if HIV clinics and health departments committed to implementing the key strategies discussed. Sharing these findings directly with HIV/AIDS clinics, health departments, and other stakeholders is a critical next step in helping to curb staffing shortages, and ultimately improving HIV/AIDS care for Georgia’s Spanish-speaking clients.
