The US healthcare industry is experiencing a staffing crisis. An aging population has driven demand to historic highs, while staff burnout and turnover, made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, have driven staff numbers to historic lows. The staffing gaps, many of which have persisted for nearly a decade, touch virtually every segment of the healthcare industry.
“Healthcare staffing shortages are a growing concern across various sectors, including nursing, IT, physicians, and remote workers,” shares Josh Thompson, CEO of Impact Health USA and Impact Health University.
Thompson is an innovator in the healthcare field who is seeking to increase accessibility of care through increasing telehealth opportunities. He launched Impact Health USA to provide a means for entrepreneurs to establish their own telehealth platforms. To ensure new telehealth ventures succeed, Thompson provides education and mentoring to aspiring entrepreneurs and clinic owners through Impact Health University.
Thompson agrees with experts who say the staffing shortages are not new but were exacerbated by Covid. He also feels that out-of-the-box thinking is necessary to bring improvements.
“As an entrepreneur in the healthcare industry, I see these challenges firsthand and believe we need innovative solutions to address them,” Thompson says. “The shortage of healthcare workers will likely continue unless we take proactive measures. We must invest in our healthcare workforce, provide them with the necessary tools and support, and ensure that healthcare remains an attractive career choice.”
Key areas of concern for healthcare staffing
While staffing issues exist across the entire healthcare universe, nursing is an area of particular concern. Information provided by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing shows the supply of nurses dropped by more than 100,000 between 2020 and 2021, marking the largest decrease in 40 years. A study released by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing in 2023 revealed that 900,000 nurses — 20 percent of the total currently in the workforce — plan to retire by 2027.
“Nursing is the backbone of healthcare,” Thompson says, “but a dangerous gap is forming in that area due to burnout, an aging workforce, and insufficient training programs.”
Physicians are another area of concern. By the end of 2024, the US physician shortage is expected to number 64,000. The shortage, largely caused by Baby Boomer physicians reaching retirement age, is expected to have an oversized impact on rural areas where care is already difficult to obtain.
Solutions to healthcare staffing shortages
As the staffing shortage increases, the demands placed on remaining healthcare staff grow, making it more difficult for the industry to attract new workers. To shift the momentum, the industry must take a number of steps, starting with expanding training programs.
“Increasing the number of training programs for nurses and other healthcare workers is essential to turning the staffing shortage around,” Thompson says. “Efforts must include offering more scholarships and incentives for students to enter these fields.”
Data from 2023 shows that student enrollment in healthcare-related programs is not keeping up with overall program averages. In addition, reports show that 20 percent of nursing students drop out of programs, with high tuition costs, rigorous academic demands, and modest salary expectations cited as reasons.
Promoting work-life balance is another step the industry must take to address staffing shortages. A 2024 report showed that 60 percent of doctors say they regularly feel the effects of burnout.
“Addressing burnout is a crucial component of fixing the staffing shortage,” Thompson says. “Implementing policies that promote work-life balance and provide mental health support for healthcare workers can help retain existing staff and encourage more interest in the industry.”
Attracting physicians to rural areas is an issue that needs to be addressed if the industry is going to provide for the nation’s healthcare needs. One solution is offering specialized programs to train physicians in the unique needs that arise in rural communities. Mentoring from physicians currently practicing in rural areas has been identified as a step that can encourage more physicians to commit to rural healthcare.
“Offering financial incentives, such as loan forgiveness and higher salaries, can attract physicians to underserved areas,” Thompson suggests. “Additionally, telehealth can provide specialist care to these regions without requiring specialists to be physically present.”
Leveraging technology to provide administrative support is a step that can reduce physician workloads and allow for better work-life balance. “Pajama time,” a term doctors use to describe the administrative work they must do outside of normal office hours, has been cited as a major contributor to physician burnout. Technology tools that can streamline and automate administrative work promise to dramatically reduce the physician workload.
The US healthcare is facing what doctors call multimorbidity — an illness caused by multiple chronic conditions occurring at the same time. Healing such an illness requires understanding and addressing a number of different factors.
“Addressing healthcare staffing shortages requires a combination of expanding training programs, promoting work-life balance, and leveraging technology,” Thompson says. “By taking these steps, we can ensure that our healthcare system is equipped to meet the needs of our population, both now and in the future.”
