There’s little question among economists and staffing trend-followers about the current booming state of the healthcare industry. And industry insiders seem to agree that while demand for health care services escalates over the next few years, the availability of open positions in the field will continue to stay ahead of the number of available and qualified candidates. What factors explain these trends? What do these changes mean for HR and talent management professionals?
Rising Demand
When the baby boomer generation reached kindergarten, the public school system found itself caught off guard and overburdened. The same thing happened twelve years later when this generation began to apply for college. Now this tidal wave of former kindergarteners and college students are passing mid-life and facing the healthcare concerns that come with age. And once again, the system isn’t quite ready. As healthcare costs skyrocket and adjustments are made to insurance and Medicare, healthcare staffing experts face pressures that are less recognized by media outlets but no less serious.
Open Positions
General healthcare staffing is not keeping pace with demand, but personnel shortages are more keenly felt in some areas then in others. Specifically, almost every geographic region across the US will soon need to raise recruiting efforts for RNs and healthcare IT staff. More RNs will mean better patient outcomes and stronger bottom lines across the entire healthcare industry, but open positions are rising steadily and trend forecasters see no immediate solution on the horizon
Likewise, healthcare facilities are in need of a work-ready pool of educated candidates who have been trained on a wide range of EMR (emergency medical record) IT systems. EMR vendors and consultants are also looking for qualified employees who can support the implementation of new systems in hospitals and healthcare clinics. Academic institutions are struggling to keep up, but so far, many system providers have not yet found successful ways to form academic partnerships, so gaps in staffing remain.
Accreditation & Compliance
In order to be successful, Healthcare organizations are becoming Accredited by bodies like The Joint Commission (JCAHO) and others. To ensure compliance with these accreditation bodies, Healthcare facilities must create and maintain immaculate records, including employee performance and follow up survey data. Using technology to facilitate employee development planning, surveys, compliance checklists, performance metrics, instant feedback, and appraisals, is quickly becoming a must for organizations seeking to become and remain accredited.
The Migration of Private Practitioners to Hospital Settings
Private practitioners have been seeking stability by moving toward hospitals and established clinics, which leave many private practices scrambling for healthcare employees including doctors, support staff, and even clerical workers. Healthcare staffing experts are recognizing a widening personnel shortage, especially in rural, isolated, and under-served areas.
To navigate staffing shortages, ensure organizational compliance, and in general, to do more with less, healthcare facilities are relying on sophisticated talent management software platforms, like emPerform. With the right technological tools, smaller teams can still maintain tight control over workflows and management issues and streamline development planning. The future of healthcare staffing is difficult to predict, but chances are, open positions will continue to expand during the coming decade. Will your healthcare facility be ready?
