The American Hospital Association (AHA) describes the healthcare workforce as our most precious resource. Prior to the pandemic, job openings in healthcare were already at a record high. Now, however, the lasting impact of the pandemic and its subsequent “great resignation” have pushed recruiting and retention to the point of becoming a national emergency.
While the increases in labor expenses thus far in 2022 have been primarily driven by employed staff, the AHA predicts that contract labor will continue to pressure hospitals with expenses nearly 500% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Staffing summit
HealthTrust will offer its members a two-day summit (Feb. 14–15, 2023) to delve deep into the staffing crisis and explore mitigation strategies surrounding recruitment, retention, mental health, alternative practice models and technology solutions. Join us for this live think-tank experience where you will learn from subject matter experts as well as colleagues from other leading healthcare systems and contribute to solutions for tackling these challenges. Contact Kim Wright, RN, AVP, Clinical Services, for more details or to express your interest in attending at kimberly.wright@healthtrustpg.com.
The AHA indicates the healthcare workforce can be positively impacted in six key areas, one of which includes support from technology. More hospitals are evolving to incorporate data and smart systems, allowing providers to improve both patient care and experience while lowering costs and reducing their reliance on manual efforts. Read about a new department launched within HCA Healthcare to accelerate the integration of technology into patient care. Its vision involves clinicians, data and machine learning to explore innovations that will address problems in future healthcare delivery.
Also in this issue
The notion that critical care could be provided virtually began to take shape more than 20 years ago as the U.S. looked for ways to combat a growing shortage of critical care physicians, and COVID-19 just exacerbated the situation. Learn how tele-critical care leverages technology to enable a smaller number of physicians to extend their care and expertise to more patients, regardless of location.
Technology can also transform traditionally manual processes within the supply chain. Read how Hackensack Meridian Health is putting technology into practice with its innovative use of artificial intelligence-enabled automation tools to drive its supply chain performance and to streamline pharmacy operations.
Collaboration proves to be a great way for those on the front line of managing supply disruption to commiserate over like-issues and explore best-practice options. Learn more about HealthTrust’s online Huddle, which enables those discussions and points members to real-time information and solutions, including how to navigate demand planning.
I’d love to hear how technology is transforming your work. Share your ideas at thesource@healthtrustpg.com.
John Young, M.D., MBA, FACHE
Chief Medical Officer, HealthTrust
Executive Publisher & Editor-at-large, The Source magazine
