By Jacob Colmenero, MarshMcLennan Agency

The Washington AIDS Education and Training Center (WA AETC), situated within the University of Washington School of Medicine Division of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, is instrumental in augmenting HIV prevention and care statewide. Nestled in the Harborview Medical Center campus, the WA AETC fosters collaboration among clinical, non-clinical, and allied health staff from various sectors, including public and private health facilities, local health departments, community-based organizations, and behavioral health providers.

BACKGROUND Most Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) complete medical school abroad and then match with a residency program in the United States. Upon matching, the vast majority are sponsored to come to the United States by their respective program in J-1 Status. The J-1 Visa was initially created as a cultural exchange program for foreign nationals to come to the United States to train, share knowledge and ideas, then return to their home country thereafter to share that knowledge and training gained while in in the US. 

By Chris Connor

​I remember my first exposure to coding many years ago.  I could get by with some minimal knowledge as an implementation/salesperson for an EHR vendor, but I immediately grew such an appreciation for the complexity of the craft of coding.  Now, with all of the regulatory requirements, ICD-10 which expanded the diagnosis base 10 fold or more, bundling, unbundling, I appreciate even more those that chose coding as a profession.

​Most healthcare organizations in the United States suffer from a chronic shortage of allied healthcare workers to fill basic positions at their facilities. These can be Medical Doctors, Nurses, Dentists, Physical Therapists, Dietitians, Medical Lab Technologists and the like. Given these shortages, many organizations have been more fully exploring the ability to sponsor foreigners in these positions to complement their existing workforce. The following article will give a basic overview of the options available to healthcare organizations, specifically Non-Profits and Federally Qualified Health Centers and Clinics.