OHA President, CEO Mike Abrams Appointed to Governor DeWine’s Executive Workforce Board

(COLUMBUS, Ohio — Nov. 1, 2019) Ohio Hospital Association President and CEO Mike Abrams of Upper Arlington has been appointed to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s Executive Workforce Board for a term beginning Oct. 31, 2019. 

The Governor's Executive Workforce Board engages communities, state agencies and stakeholders in Ohio to identify ways to prepare Ohioans with skills needed for in-demand jobs. Governor's Executive Workforce Board members are innovative leaders in business, education and workforce development. They are responsible for advising the governor, lieutenant governor and the Office of Workforce Transformation about emerging workforce needs, solutions and best practices.

“I am honored to join Gov. DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Ohio business leaders to strengthen workforce development efforts,” Abrams said. “As leading employers in their communities, our member hospitals profoundly impact our state’s economy. Health care is a labor-intensive field and investment in a qualified, engaged and multi-disciplinary workforce is fundamental to achieving optimal health outcomes for Ohioans. Our industry continues to rapidly evolve, and so do the skills and competencies needed to provide around-the-clock compassionate care. I am eager to explore how we can recruit, retain and grow a workforce equipped to embrace the growing opportunities in our industry and improve employment options for Ohioans across the state.”

Hospitals employed more than 255,000 Ohioans and paid more than $18.1 billion in direct wages in 2017 generating more than $31.4 billion in economic impact in Ohio. Ohio hospitals are economic drivers in their communities. Four of Ohio's top 10 employers are hospitals or health systems according to the May 2019 report from the Ohio Department of Development Services Agency. 

Hospitals have diverse and critical staffing needs. OHA created a suite of workforce solutions to help members recruit permanent employees and fill urgent needs with temporary staffing in a variety of clinical and administrative fields. Last month OHA partnered with the Ohio Association of Community Colleges to host a workforce summit dedicated to health care. The event was attended by nearly 150 representatives from Ohio hospitals and community colleges.

Lt. Gov. Husted leads the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, which coordinates the workforce development efforts of 16 cabinet offices. Husted works closely with the Directors of the Departments of Administrative Services, Development Services and Higher Education on issues impacting workforce development and economic development. The Executive Board for Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation is chaired by Ohio Business Roundtable CEO Patrick (Pat) Tiberi.

Abrams joined OHA in 2012 as president and CEO. Abrams works closely with hospital and health system executives and leaders to assess health care trends and policies impacting the industry. He has been selected by his peers to chair the State Hospital Association Executive Forum, an organization of all 50 state hospital association presidents, in 2020. He has been named a Champion of Health Care by Columbus Business First and a member of the SMART 50 group by Smart Business Magazine for his leadership in health care education and advocacy. Under his leadership, OHA in 2018 was named to the Best Workplaces in Ohio by Ohio Business Magazine. 

Prior to OHA, Abrams was the executive vice president and CEO of the Iowa Medical Society from 1996 to 2012. He previously led government relations for the Indiana State Medical Association for nine years and is a graduate of Indiana University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a master’s degree in Public Administration. 

Abrams and his wife, Mary Ann Sprauer Abrams, MD, MPH, a pediatrician, support health education in the community and contributed to the development of a health care-oriented classroom at Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus.