Shaping the next generation of healthcare heroes through education and innovative partnerships

Deepening its commitment to meeting the next great need, Gwynedd Mercy University is forging a new path in healthcare education with its Compassionate Care Collaborative. This initiative will leverage GMercyU’s strength in healthcare education and the opening of the new Frances M. Maguire ’55 Healthcare Innovation Center (HIC) to partner with healthcare systems, providers, non-profits and entrepreneurs to build the pipeline of qualified healthcare workers, address workforce development needs, seize opportunities to improve equity and access to quality healthcare, and improve patient outcomes through a holistic approach to patient care.

“We are excited to launch a bold new vision for healthcare education,” said Deanne H. D’Emilio, JD, President of Gwynedd Mercy University. “By working together with a broad continuum of industry leaders, we can transform technology into treatment tools and a compassionate care mindset into exceptional patient outcomes, while simultaneously addressing workforce shortages and employee retention and satisfaction.”

The Compassionate Care Collaborative brings together three primary areas:

Academic Programs to Grow and Advance the Healthcare Provider Workforce

In addition to expanding access to existing GMercyU degrees and certificates, this initiative focuses on developing new academic programs that address emerging healthcare and workforce development needs.

The University takes a broad approach to program development—one that meets the demand for more compassionate care practitioners while integrating cutting-edge technological tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to enhance access to high-quality care, advance health equity, and elevate the patient experience. As part of this effort, GMercyU is committed to addressing the rising demand for telehealth, home health, behavioral health, complex care, and integrated healthcare solutions through collaborative partnerships.

This urgency is underscored by national trends. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 194,500 job openings for registered nurses each year through 2033, driven in part by retirements and transfers to other fields.

The University also recognizes the need for programs that can be completed quickly and flexibly. In addition to becoming more transfer-friendly, GMercyU will add new three-year and second-degree programs, offer market-centered stackable certificates and credentials, and expand its online, hybrid and accelerated options.

Innovation with Heart

The Frances M. Maguire ’55 Healthcare Innovation Center will focus on ways to leverage the power of technology to enhance the patient experience and improve patient outcomes. The HIC is designed to provide more opportunities for interprofessional learning, bringing together students majoring in nursing, social work, psychology, respiratory care, computer information science, occupational therapy and many other fields to provide holistic patient-centered care. The 63,000 square foot facility features state-of-the-market technology and large, indoor and outdoor configurable spaces for continuing education and upskilling programming.

By prioritizing innovation through collaboration, the HIC will open the door to new healthcare partnerships that broaden how holistic care is understood and delivered—addressing the physical, behavioral, demographic, and environmental factors that influence overall health and well-being. Simultaneously, the HIC will support the business facet of healthcare with programs exploring emerging fields, including the ethical application of AI in medical contexts.

The HIC will also drive growth in fields expected to see rapidly increasing demand. For example, employment of respiratory therapists is projected to grow by 13% over the next decade, much faster than the national average for all occupations.

Partnerships to Address Affordability and Employee Affinity and Pipeline Development

In addition to expanding partnerships that provide financial support to students in exchange for work commitments, the Compassionate Care Collaborative will create externship and mentoring programs to build affinity for and expertise in the culture of care within individual healthcare systems.

GMercyU’s Dedicated Education Unit model, for example, provides nursing majors one-to-one clinical development with an experienced registered nurse mentor at a location where the student is hoping to work post-graduation. The program is designed to not only shorten the time it takes for a new hire to build the skills and confidence needed to become an independent practitioner, but also improve employee satisfaction and retention. In partnership with healthcare systems, the University’s goal is to extend the model to other fields, such as respiratory care and radiation therapy.

This kind of pipeline development is critical. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that while the nation will need around 193,100 RNs annually through 2032, only 177,400 new nurses are projected to enter the workforce during that entire decade—falling short of meeting just one year’s demand.

A ‘Live Here, Work Here’ community connections program will focus on growing the employment pipeline in rural areas, where workforce shortages often create significant challenges in providing equitable access to high-quality care.

GMercyU is actively seeking healthcare providers, non-profits, investors, insurers, entrepreneurs, alumni and students to join this initiative. “The need for innovative solutions to complex challenges is clear and GMercyU is uniquely positioned to respond,” said D’Emilio. “We are deeply committed to carrying forth the legacy of our founders, the Sisters of Mercy, who have a long history of just ‘getting it done.’ Our Mercy mission compels us to prepare the next generation of compassionate care professionals with a focus on addressing the pressing needs of our time. We invite others to join us in forging this new path in healthcare education.”

For more information or to schedule a time to discuss partnership opportunities, go to https://www.gmercyu.edu/compassionate-care-collaborative.

About Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Mercy University prepares students to become top professionals in the fields of nursing and other health professions, education, business, and the arts and sciences. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1948, Gwynedd Mercy University offers more than 70 bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and associate degree programs. Since 2019, the University has prepared more than 1,400 registered nurses, nearly 900 graduates pursuing careers in health professions and other public service fields, and more than 850 certified teachers and administrators. The University’s campus is situated on 145 private acres on Sumneytown Pike between routes 309 and 202 in Gwynedd Valley, Montgomery County. The University also offers online/accelerated undergraduate and graduate degree programs for working professions and career-changers. Learn more at gmercyu.edu, or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

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