Concerns are mounting about how to address projected workforce shortages in health care as experts estimate that more than 6.5 million health care professionals in the U.S. are nearing retirement. Additional factors such as increased life expectancy, burnout among current workers, and impacts following the Covid-19 pandemic contribute to this complex issue.
In this article, let’s explore the current state of the health care workforce, the causes and consequences of the shortage, and possible solutions to mitigate an incoming crisis.
Current State of the Health Care Workforce
Projections indicate a deficit of around 4 million workers needed to replace retirees, including primary care providers, lab technicians, physical therapists, nurses, and more. The impact is particularly severe in rural and isolated communities, which are already vulnerable.
Additionally, this workforce crisis disproportionally affects historically underserved minority groups, exacerbating existing health care inequities.
What Is Causing the Shortage?
The impending retirement of millions of health care professionals is just one of the factors impacting the shortfall. Further straining the system, increased life expectancy means more people need health care for longer periods.
Beyond an aging workforce and population, many health care professionals are leaving the industry entirely. A 2022 CDC survey revealed that nearly half of health care workers felt burned out due to the physical and emotional demands of their jobs. In a 2023 study, approximately 28% of health care professionals expressed their intent to leave the health care field altogether.
Long hours and emotionally taxing conditions have long been part of the health care industry, but the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated these issues. The pandemic introduced new protocols, increased patient loads, and heightened overall stress, leaving lasting impacts on the workforce.
All these combined factors will create a significant gap in the workforce, making it challenging to meet the existing demand for health care services.
Why the Urgency?
The consequences of the health care workforce shortage could be severe if not addressed. One major concern is the increased workload for existing staff, leading to burnout and decreased quality of care. Patients may face potential delays in treatment and longer wait times due to understaffing.
With fewer staff available, bottlenecks in the delivery of crucial information regarding treatments and diagnoses are likely to occur. This can result in delayed or compromised patient care. Additionally, health care institutions may suffer from financial strain as they struggle to manage a reduced workforce.
Longer wait times, increased workload, and financial challenges underscore the urgency of addressing this critical issue.
Solutions for the Shortage of Health Care Workers
There is no quick fix to the impending health care workforce shortage; rather, what is needed to address the crisis is a multipronged effort focused on long-term success.
Encourage Careers in Health Care
With the looming issue of senior health care professionals heading toward retirement, there is a serious need to bring more people into the health care workforce to replace them.
This means encouraging more young people to explore careers in health care. One way to increase the number of students choosing health care careers is by making education more accessible and affordable.
Evidence In Motion (EIM) works diligently to achieve this with its hybrid accelerated graduate programs focused on health care disciplines. These programs not only help fill workforce vacancies but also allow students to study from rural or remote areas.
By enabling graduate health care students to stay in their communities while obtaining their education, practitioners remain close to their support systems and can serve their local community post-graduation, helping to address the health care workforce shortage, especially in rural and remote areas.
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Expand Access to Care Through Telehealth
Similar to making health care education more accessible, there is a dire need to make quality health care more accessible as well. To mitigate the health care professional scarcity and accessibility issues, telehealth is expected to rise with advancements in technology and internet accessibility.
Telehealth enables doctors and health care workers to visit and treat more patients. It also provides the unique ability to reduce long wait times in offices and cut costs for health care institutions and providers. EIM’s parent company, Confluent Health, for example, recently introduced moviHealth, which provides fast and easy access to its nationwide network of physical therapists in virtual and in-person formats.
While telehealth has the potential to address some of the shortcomings of the health care workforce shortage, there is still much ground to cover.
Improve Work Environments
In addition to recruiting more young people to the health care field and implementing technology such as telehealth, another way to address the shortage is by creating better work environments and incentivizing health care workers in underserved areas.
As previously mentioned, the health care industry is facing retention problems across the board, with professionals reporting feelings of burnout and low morale. Health care institutions need to prioritize their employees’ needs and company culture. Some initiatives that can improve morale and retention include better pay, employee recognition, increased time off, and more.
Health care workers deserve to have their hard work appreciated and celebrated. Meeting employee wants and needs is a great way to improve job satisfaction and retention.
Explore Additional Solutions
Beyond the aforementioned strategies, there are other solutions that could help mitigate the health care workforce shortage.
Investing in advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics can streamline administrative tasks, allowing health care professionals to focus more on patient care. AI can assist in diagnosing illnesses, while robots can handle repetitive tasks, thus easing the workload on human staff.
Continuing education and training opportunities for current health care workers can help them advance in their careers and take on new roles, reducing the overall shortage. Upskilling the existing workforce ensures that health care providers are well-equipped to handle evolving medical challenges.
In Conclusion
While the health care workforce shortage presents a daunting challenge, the industry is taking significant steps to address the crisis. The combined efforts of educational institutions, technological advancements, and improved workplace environments offer a promising outlook for the future.
The path forward will require ongoing innovation, investment, and a commitment to supporting health care professionals. By prioritizing these strategies, we can work toward a more accessible and equitable health care system.
Policymakers, health care leaders, and communities must collaborate to create sustainable solutions that address immediate gaps and build a resilient health care system. Ensuring the well-being of both health care workers and patients is essential for the long-term success and sustainability of the industry.
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