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Staffing issues continue to challenge all healthcare sectors, especially demand for nurses, as the COVID-19 pandemic has led to burnout and is driving more workers into early retirement.
From a provider perspective, what do you think should be some top priorities for strengthening the healthcare workforce?
Dr. David Gifford: We have shortages at all levels. Nurses, administrators, social work, physical therapy, pharmacy. It takes a whole team to care for the complicated elderly. We need to create incentives for people to work in this sector because everyone is competing for staff. That includes being able to pay higher salaries, but we also need to create better child care so people can work.
Darryl Robinson: The shortage is a function of not developing and training enough professionals. The burnout piece is a function of asking people who are essential workers to run to the fire and stay in the fire without any degree of a break. … There are programs we can do as employers, but there must be other things we do that are societal.
What about solutions at the educational level? Many schools, especially for nursing, are facing challenges finding enough faculty. What about collaborations?
Gifford: We’ve worked with universities and community colleges on training programs, but often the graduates end up being scooped up by hospitals and other sectors because they pay higher salaries and have better benefits. … That’s why we need some incentives for graduates to come and work in the long-term care sector.
Robinson: Yes, absolutely. We all have to do our part. CommonSpirit is working with Creighton University, Baylor University and Morehouse School of Medicine to develop more caregivers. … Clearly the cost of education is huge. So the ability to enroll and get into a school and then stay in the school is a real challenge.
What are some proposals at the policy level that could help build the healthcare professions?
Gifford: When there was a primary-care workforce shortage for physicians in rural areas, lawmakers created loan forgiveness for primary-care physicians. When there were access issues in inner cities, they funded community health centers and offered loan forgiveness for health professionals who work there. It’s time to step up and do the same thing for long-term care.
Robinson: I think more investment in STEM would be huge. We also need programs that encourage young people from disadvantaged communities to learn more about healthcare and what we do, as well as more programs that give individuals an opportunity to volunteer and provide exposure to the industry.
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