Every year, healthcare organizations face staffing issues. From recruiting and retaining qualified clinicians to managing workforce costs, the industry is constantly trying to bridge the gap between available resources and desired outcomes.
As we come closer to 2023, this topic has become even more pressing. With an aging population and the rise of technology-driven medicine, it’s critical for healthcare organizations to understand the staffing challenges they may face in order to ensure sustainable operations.
In this blog post, we will explore the key staffing issues that are impacting healthcare in 2023 and offer strategies on how to address them.
A sufficient and healthy healthcare workforce is vital for maintaining access to high-quality care in all kinds of situations.
But due to multiple reasons namely higher work pressure, constant exposure to the stressful atmosphere, physical and emotional exhaustion, and burnout, many healthcare organizations are facing staffing shortages.
As per the Kaiser family foundation, 3 in 10 healthcare workers considered leaving their profession, and 6 in 10 claimed that pandemic-related stress had harmed their mental well-being.
Apart from this, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has had a significant impact on healthcare staffing.
The ACA has resulted in an increase in demand for health services, as well as an increase in the number of people with health insurance coverage.
This has led to a shortage of qualified healthcare workers across the country.
In order to address these challenges, healthcare facilities need to be creative and flexible in their approach to staffing.
They must also be prepared to invest in training and development for their employees.
What Is a Healthcare Staffing
Healthcare staffing refers to the process of recruiting, selecting, and employing workers in the healthcare industry.
It is a complex and challenging task that requires careful planning and execution.
There are many factors to consider when staffing a healthcare facility, including the type of facility, the size of the facility, the location of the facility, the type of patients being treated, and the specific needs of the patients.
In addition, healthcare facilities must comply with a variety of laws and regulations related to staffing.
The Current State Of Staffing In Healthcare
The current state of staffing in healthcare is dire. Hospitals are struggling to attract and retain nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers.
The problem is compounded by the fact that the population is aging and the demand for health care services is growing.
There are a number of factors that have contributed to the staffing crisis in healthcare.
First, the baby boomers are starting to retire and there are not enough young people entering the workforce to replace them.
Second, many healthcare workers are leaving the profession because of burnout or dissatisfaction with working conditions.
Finally, the pay for healthcare workers is not commensurate with the level of education and training required.
The staffing crisis in healthcare is having a ripple effect on patient care. Hospitals are being forced to cut corners and make do with fewer staff members.
This often leads to longer wait times for patients, as well as an increased risk of errors and adverse events.
In order to solve the staffing crisis in healthcare, it is important to address all of the factors that have contributed to it.
We need to find ways to attract more young people into the profession, retain existing healthcare workers, and improve working conditions and pay scales across the board.
Staffing Issues In Healthcare
Many factors are responsible for the growing staffing issues in healthcare namely, the increased aging population, aging workforce, shortage of primary care physicians, Affordable Care Act, etc.
Let’s see these factors in brief for better understanding.
1) Increased aging population
One of the major reasons for the healthcare worker shortage is the increased number of baby boomers, who demand more care.
The demand for healthcare is increasing at an unprecedented rate, as Americans are getting old.
As per the U.S. Census Bureau, by the year 2030, the entire baby boomer generation, i.e. 73 million people will be at the of 65 or older.
These older people will require a greater amount of care and attention with growing age.
As per the Central for disease control and Prevention, 19% of people over the age of 55 are suffering from 3 or more chronic conditions.
This puts more strain on healthcare workers for taking care of the people.
2) An aging workforce
The aging population also impacts healthcare workers, which means, healthcare workers are also getting aged.
Within the next decade, many healthcare workers will leave the profession, leaving vacancies.
3) Affordable care act
This Affordable care act has enabled people to take reimbursement for their healthcare costs. This has also increased the demand for healthcare.
Burnout in the healthcare industry is not uncommon.
Long before the pandemic, the healthcare workforce was suffering from burnout, and the pandemic intensified the effects of burnout and added an additional layer of stress to healthcare workers.
Due to longer exposure to stressful situations, long working hours, work-life imbalance, continuous night shifts, physical and emotional exhaustion, and lack of work satisfaction have caused many healthcare professionals to feel burnout.
And this burnout has urged many healthcare workers to leave the profession.
Strategies To Mitigate The Staffing Shortage In Healthcare
According to WHO, a healthcare organization is going to face a shortage of 9.9 million physicians, nurses, and midwives by 2030. And this shortage will greatly impact the quality of patient care.
To avoid the dreadful consequences of this worker shortage, healthcare organizations are expected to take some actions to recruit and retain staff for a longer time.
Some of the steps that could help them to overcome the staffing problems in healthcare are:
1) Focus on employee satisfaction
2) Find the right people
3) Invest in technology
4) Embrace flexibility
5) outsource clinical documentation
Let’s see each of these solutions in brief for a clear understanding.
1) Focus on employee
Staff retention is a vital factor in overcoming healthcare staffing issues. The healthcare industry is facing a 30% higher turnover than other industries.
This turnover rate is causing a loss of $ 4.8 million to hospitals.
Some employees reported the contributing factors to higher turnover rates are heavy workloads, an unhealthy work environment, and emotional and physical exhaustion.
To avoid such consequences retaining the healthcare professional is the only solution, And for that employees should be happy and satisfied with the work culture, the kind of work they have been allotted, and the compensation they have been offered.
And therefore hospitals should pay them competitive compensation, focus on their work-life balance and allow them to take frequent breaks.
This would help them to work long hours in hospitals.
2) Find the right people
Another way to solve the staffing problem in healthcare is mindful recruitment.
At the time of the interview, along with focusing on technical skills, focus on interpersonal skills, others must have attributes to work in hospitals like compensation, high tolerance level, and good team player.
These characteristics would help them to work under stressful conditions and help them to sustain themselves for a longer time.
3) Invest in technology
Invest in the technology that interconnects all of the information and processes in your organization, and it will make things easier for you and your staff.
Employers and employees, both are required to adapt to new technology.
For example, employers can use various tools and software that help them to find and recruit employees faster and with minimum expenses, as well as use tools to create optimal schedules for their staff.
Similarly, employees should use technology for doing repetitive and cumbersome tasks, and focus on more productive work.
Integration of various software and tools will help the hospital to increase the productivity and efficiency of employees.
Technology can help healthcare professionals to cut down the training expenses.
4) Embrace flexibility
Hospitals should embrace the trend of hybrid work culture that helps them to combat healthcare staffing shortages.
Providing healthcare workers with more flexibility, will increase their productivity and improve overall workplace morale.
This will also accommodate more workers across the country.
National healthcare system Ascension currently has 4000 remote healthcare workers, and it has planned to incorporate this strategy permanently.
5) Outsource clinical documentation
Outsourcing certain services is another effective way of overcoming healthcare staffing shortages.
For example, hospitals can outsource medical billing, coding, and transcription service.
Outsourcing will help healthcare organizations to improve patient care and maximize staff efficiency.
The Projected Staffing Shortage In Healthcare
The projected staffing shortage in healthcare is expected to reach 1.2 million by 2025.
The reasons for this shortage are varied but include an aging population, an increase in chronic diseases, and a decrease in the number of people entering the healthcare workforce.
This shortage will have a profound impact on patients and the quality of care they receive. Hospitals will be understaffed and overworked, leading to longer wait times, higher infection rates, and poorer overall outcomes.
Patients will suffer as a result.
We must take action now to address this looming crisis.
We need to encourage more people to enter the healthcare workforce, provide better support for existing staff, and improve working conditions across the board.
Only then can we hope to provide quality care for all patients, regardless of their needs.
The Impact Of The Staffing Shortage On Patient Care
The staffing shortage in healthcare is having a profound impact on patient care.
Hospitals are struggling to fill vacant positions, and those that are filled are often understaffed.
This has led to an increase in medical errors, longer wait times and a decrease in the quality of care.
Patients are bearing the brunt of the staffing shortage.
They are waiting longer for appointments and procedures, and their health is suffering as a result.
The situation is only getting worse as the Baby Boomer generation ages and the demand for healthcare services increases.
The staffing shortage is also taking its toll on healthcare workers. They are working longer hours and carrying heavier workloads.
This has led to an increase in burnout and turnover. Healthcare workers are leaving the profession at an alarming rate, which only exacerbates the problem.
The staffing shortage in healthcare is a complex issue with no easy solutions. It will require a concerted effort from hospitals, the government, and society as a whole to address it.
In the meantime, patients will continue to suffer as they wait for the care they need.
Solutions To The Staffing Shortage In Healthcare
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to the staffing shortage in healthcare, but there are a number of ways to address the issue.
One way to address the staffing shortage is to increase the number of nurses. This can be done by increasing the number of nursing school graduates, as well as by recruiting nurses from other countries.
Another way to address the staffing shortage is to improve retention rates among nurses. This can be done by offering better working conditions, such as more flexible hours and better pay.
Still another way to address the staffing shortage is to make use of technology. For example, hospitals can make use of nursebots, which are robots that can perform basic nursing tasks.
whichever solution or combination of solutions is chosen, it is important that action be taken soon to address the staffing shortage in healthcare. The longer the problem is left unaddressed, the worse it will become, and the more difficult it will be to solve.
Alternatives and solutions to address the shortage of professionals
As the healthcare industry continues to grow, the demand for professionals will continue to increase. However, the current shortage of healthcare professionals is a major concern.
The followings are some alternatives and solutions to address this shortage:
This can be done through healthcare email marketing campaigns, scholarships, and other initiatives that make healthcare a more attractive career choice.
1. Increasing the number of medical schools and residency programs
This will help increase the number of physicians and other healthcare professionals who are trained each year.
2. Encouraging more people to enter the healthcare field
This can be done through marketing campaigns, scholarships, and other initiatives that make healthcare a more attractive career choice.
3. Implementing new technologies
Technologies such as telemedicine and artificial intelligence can help reduce the need for human resources in some areas of healthcare.
4. Improving working conditions
Making sure that healthcare workers have good working conditions and adequate pay will help retain existing staff and attract new talent to the field. It is also essential to explore available financial support mechanisms like the employee retention tax credit to reinforce the commitment to employee well-being and satisfaction.
5. Working with other countries
Collaborating with other countries that have a surplus of healthcare professionals can help alleviate staffing shortages in specific areas or regions.
Benefits of adopting an effective staff management system
Staff management systems are recognizing the top priorities of organizations and anticipate human capital challenges to overcome liabilities and increase efficiency.
The benefits of adopting an effective staff management system are many and varied, but all boil down to one thing: improved patient care.
When your staff is better managed, they can provide the best possible care to your patients.
Here are some specific benefits you can expect from implementing a good staff management system in your healthcare organization:
1. Better patient outcomes
When your staff is well-managed, they have more time and energy to devote to each individual patient. This results in better overall patient care and improved health outcomes.
2. Improved morale among staff members
When staff members feel like they are part of a well-run organization, they are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and less likely to look for other employment opportunities.
This leads to increased retention rates and decreases in turnover, which saves your organization money in the long run.
3. More efficient use of resources
Well-managed staff members are able to work more efficiently, which means that your organization can save money on things like overtime costs and wasted supplies.
4. Reduced risk of errors and mistakes
When staff members are properly managed, there is less chance for errors and mistakes to be made.
This not only improves patient safety but also reduces the chances of costly lawsuits against your organization.
5. Increased compliance with regulations and standards
Properly managed staff members are more likely to follow all relevant regulations and standards, which protects your organization from potential penalties or sanctions.
Role of Technology in addressing staffing shortages
As discussed above, many reasons namely the increased number of baby boomers, aging healthcare workforce, and unhealthy lifestyle are increasing the demand for healthcare and putting strain on the hospital system and clinicians.
But implementation of the right technology will alleviate this by improving workflow or making patient care easier.
The technologies like Telesititng, Telehealth, Blockchain credentialing, mobile staffing apps, and artificial intelligence are some of the tools that help you to overcome staffing shortages.
1) Tele sitting
Amidst the shortage of nurses, the 1:1 ratio of clinicians to patients is difficult to maintain.
But with the help of telesitting, one nurse can supervise multiple patients using cameras that use live video and audio.
This will also limit the number of required nurses.
2) Telehealth
Telehealth increased the productivity of healthcare workers, by allowing them to see more patients in a day. This way, it has also reduced the patient waiting time.
3) Blockchain credentialing
Blockchain credentialing has made it very easier for clinicians to take approval to work, working at multiple locations.
4) Mobile staffing apps, and Staff Augmentation
Staffing apps will help healthcare workers see hospital schedules, swap a shift, etc.
While staff augmentation allows healthcare organizations to supplement their support staff through third-party staffing and to ensure operations run smoothly.
Thus, to stand apart and stay ahead of the competition, the use of the right tools and software has become vital.
Conclusion
Healthcare staffing issues are a growing concern, and tackling them requires a comprehensive strategy.
By understanding the current trends in healthcare staffing, developing innovative recruitment strategies, and offering competitive salaries and benefits to attract qualified staff members, organizations can take proactive steps to build an efficient workforce that is capable of meeting the changing needs of patients.
With the right approach, healthcare providers can ensure their success for many years to come.
Ampliz helps you to overcome staffing issues at your healthcare facility. Ampliz holds extensive datasets of nurses, physicians, and specialists.
With the help of these accurate and updated datasets reaching to your most potential hire will become easier and faster.
