Workforce Shortage

Workforce

Prepared by: Gopi Vaghani

Professor: Russel Zage

HSM 541

Date: April 2, 2016

Workforce shortage which includes physicians and nursing make headline in news on a regular basis. Researchers, analysts and stakeholders mainly have debate on whether this shortages are due to less numbers of providers or uneven distribution of those providers. What could be the possible solution to this problem? Either build more schools, expand classes so that more physicians can graduate, increase in the number of residency slots, find innovative ways to attract providers to health professional shortage areas, or change the way we deliver care.

Nearly 40% physician who are practicing are over 55 years old, one third of nursing workforce is more than 50 years old. According to economists, third of physicians would retire in nearly 10 years. Due to increase in number of specialization in physicians, there is shortage of primary care providers. Also student medical school debt averages $145,000 in public medical schools and $180,000 in private schools, therefore many students choose higher paying specialty areas of practice over primary care.

The health reform law enacted in March 2010 and it will add 32 million previously uninsured people to the rolls by 2019. It will worsen the existing situation of shortage for at least another 10 years. By 2025, the shortage may get increased by 25 percent, according to one analysis (Projected Physician Supply and Demand: Baseline and Alternative Scenario, 2006–2025). There is another key factor which is aging of the population and the demands which is result of their health care needs. The first old age group turned 65 in January 2011 and became eligible for Medicare. A total of 78 million old age people will reach that age by 2030. Providers who are serving them are already in shortage.

Adequate number of well trained staff is very much necessary for hospitals and health systems. So AHA Board of Trustees asked its 2009 Long Range Policy Committee to properly examine issues related to workforce and also asked them to provide findings and recommendations which hospitals and their associations can use to develop successful workforce strategies. Committee had presented a report which was divided in four sections:

• The developing workforce challenges,
• Redesigning work,
• Retaining existing workers,
• Attracting the new generation of workers

AHA is publishing a workforce data book also on its website, www.healthcareworkforce.org in which we can find statistical information used in this report to develop findings and recommendations.

AHA has also developed strategic plan to ensure hospitals have competent and engaged workforce to deliver high quality care to patients and families.  The Workforce Center’s three strategic aims are:

1. Empower a competent and engaged workforce to deliver quality patient care
2. Redesign clinical care so that inter-professional teams provide seamless, integrated and coordinated care across the continuum. 
3. Promote excellence in clinical work environments.

I believe that redesigning of clinical care is very important to overcome workforce shortage. It will include introduction of new technologies and which will improve employee satisfaction, their effectiveness and efficiency. It will also attract new generation of workers which will help in increasing number of workforce. Redesigning clinical care also help in terms of time management, it will improve employee efficiency and also quality of care. One employee can manage more number of patients which also help to overcome workforce shortage. Also in identifying, developing and appointing managers, hospitals should give more attention towards person's understanding of, appreciation for, and effectiveness with the multiple workforce generations.