When people think about healthcare staffing shortages, their minds automatically go to doctors and nurses. However, staffing shortages affect every worker category today. Healthcare systems must recognize this and find solutions to recruiting and retaining top talent. They must also redesign work within their organizations to overcome the staffing challenges.
Approximately one in five healthcare workers quit their jobs during the global pandemic. Some experts say up to 47% of healthcare workers will leave their positions next year. However, burnout was a problem before the pandemic occurred. It has only gotten worse. Labor costs are skyrocketing, and resources are overtaxed. What must human resources managers do to address these staffing challenges when hiring for a doctor’s office or any healthcare practice?
Current Staffing Challenges
Competition for top talent remains an issue in healthcare, and many people believe technology and automation will help overcome this challenge. However, healthcare organizations must convince patients to accept automation and technology; many will hesitate.
Healthcare organizations are also working with universities and colleges to increase the number of open positions in medical programs. Scholarship programs will allow more people to enter the industry, and high schools can be encouraged to train students to work as volunteers in medical practices. Furthermore, healthcare practices should allow current workers to advance in their careers. Retaining top talent and allowing them to advance will encourage loyalty among the staff. However, healthcare workers need support staff, including housekeepers and patient care specialists.
Patients interact with these healthcare workers even if they aren’t acting in a professional medical role, so they cannot be overlooked. Without their participation, the organization would not run smoothly, and patients would not be satisfied. Healthcare organizations must recognize this and focus on helping these people grow in their careers. Without the necessary support staff, healthcare organizations will suffer.
Long-Term Solutions
Patients expect a personal touch when they visit a healthcare practice or hospital. Sadly, this personal touch is disappearing due to the lack of workers. Healthcare organizations must work with patients to get them to embrace automation and centralization. To do so, healthcare organizations must make self-service options effortless and educate patients on how to use them. For those patients who refuse to use technology and automation, healthcare organizations should have humans assist them.
Healthcare organizations must work together to find solutions. Even competitive health systems should work together to overcome this workforce shortage crisis. Doing so will strengthen both organizations. Furthermore, these organizations must recognize that people enter healthcare to help others. They need to be part of any solutions that are developed.
Venture capitalists may play a role in reinventing healthcare to overcome staffing shortages. However, care must be taken when working with venture capitalists to ensure the focus remains on patient care and optimal outcomes. When discussing a person’s health, it cannot be about money. Their health must be the top priority, and venture capitalists can help find solutions that will work.
Healthcare systems must find innovative ways to overcome the industry’s challenges. One major challenge is the shortage of qualified healthcare professionals. Many solutions have been proposed, and it may take a combination of these to resolve the issue. As this problem persists across the industry, organizations working together to address the challenges will likely bring the situation to a sustainable resolution. Only time will tell if that is the case.