Solutions to Address Staffing Shortages in Healthcare

Since the pandemic of COVID-19 in 2020, healthcare regulations and practices have changed drastically. One of the main factors that impacted these changes was staffing shortages. The impact of staffing shortages in healthcare cannot be understated, as it directly impacts patient care, healthcare worker quality of life, and healthcare system revenue.

Numerous jobs and responsibilities within a healthcare system require trained personnel to accomplish, and there are simply not enough people to fill these positions. Healthcare workers play an essential role in every community, regardless of size, and the repercussions of staffing shortages manifest in many different ways.

Current State of Staffing Shortages in Healthcare

The current state of staffing shortages has been exacerbated in many ways by the COVID-19 pandemic, which lasted from 2020 to 2022. This unique and overwhelming experience impacted healthcare specifically because the people working in healthcare settings were considered “essential employees,” which means they weren’t afforded a break from the chaos and uncertainty of treating a novel disease.

Intense work hours, stressful environments, fear of infection, and underappreciation is driving healthcare workers out of the profession. The Harvard Gazette reported that half of healthcare workers were feeling burnt out. Approximately 29 percent of healthcare workers reported that they were getting ready to leave the profession, including 41 percent of nurses. In addition, the American College of Nurses is reporting that the healthcare system will see a shortage of more than 78,000 nurses in 2025.

Why Is There A Shortage Of Healthcare Workers

After acknowledging the existence of our national shortage of healthcare workers, the biggest question to answer is why? There are numerous reasons that contribute to this answer, including burnout and work overload, slow adoption of new technologies, educational and training barriers, aging workforce and retirements, and inadequate staffing levels pre-pandemic.

Burnout and Work Overload

Working in the healthcare profession requires long hours and high levels of awareness and responsibility. While this workstyle is required to be maintained and manageable, it often leads to burnout and high turnover rates among healthcare workers. The nursing shortage could be driving nurse to patient ratios in the wrong direction, which could worsen patient outcomes. A landmark study published in JAMA showed that when nurses have 8 patients each instead of just 4 patients each, the likelihood of surgical mortality increases by more than 30 percent. This shows the danger of having too many patients per nurse.

Slow Adoption Of New Technologies

As technology increases in capabilities, healthcare systems have more opportunities to adopt new technologies like automation, AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics to alleviate the strain on staff. However, resistance to change, lack of training, and budget constraints cause many healthcare centers to delay implementing them, which further exacerbates staffing challenges. This delay not only hinders the potential for more efficient patient care but also places an ongoing burden on healthcare workers who must manage increasing workloads with outdated tools. To overcome these barriers, it is crucial for healthcare leaders to prioritize education on new technologies and secure necessary funding to support these advancements.

Educational and Training Barriers

Another factor in the staffing shortage is the barriers to education and training that limit the pool of qualified candidates. There are so many hoops to jump through to get into the healthcare profession that approximately 20 percent of nursing students and around 15 percent of medical students don’t make it to the end of their education or training. This exacerbates the shortage of healthcare workers.

Aging Workforce and Retirements

In conjunction with not having enough new employees entering the healthcare profession, the median age of nurses is increasing quickly. In 2020, the median age of nurses in the United States was 52 years. Approximately one-fifth of nurses indicated that they planned to retire in the next five years. Without younger nurses coming out of school to replace them, the healthcare worker shortage will get worse. These factors also limit the availability of experienced healthcare professionals, putting an even greater strain on the current staffing shortage.

Inadequate Staffing Levels Pre-Pandemic

The pandemic marked a huge shift in healthcare requirements and drastically changed the industry, but even before COVID-19 there were pre-existing staffing shortages. These shortages became more pronounced once more people needed medical care and employees started burning out. While the pandemic was the catalyst for the increased shortage of healthcare professionals, there were inadequate staffing levels even before.

The Impact Of Staffing Shortages In Healthcare

Staffing shortages impact all aspects of healthcare, from patient care to operational sustainability, making the fix for this core issue a top priority. Beyond the surface-level problems, every part of healthcare is being affected in the following ways:

• Lower quality of care
  • Increased wait times: A lack of adequate staff can significantly increase wait times for treatments and appointments, affecting patient outcomes. One study showed that, during the past few years, the shortage of healthcare workers has increased wait times in OBGYN by 17 percent, cardiology by 26 percent, and orthopedic surgery by 42 percent.
  • Longer hospital stays: Patients may experience extended hospital stays as delays in treatment and reduced care coordination become more prevalent due to staffing shortages. Multiple research studies have shown that a shortage of nurses has already led to longer hospital stays and increased readmissions.
  • Increased mortality rates: The strain on available staff can lead to delays in emergency responses and critical care, correlating with higher mortality rates in severely understaffed hospitals. The BMJ published an analysis of 172 countries clearly showing that a shortage of healthcare workers markedly increases mortality rates.
• Decreased patient satisfaction: Insufficient staffing levels can result in reduced patient interaction and attention, leading to dissatisfaction and complaints about the quality of service.
• Increased healthcare costs
  • Operational inefficiencies: Understaffed facilities struggle with completing daily tasks efficiently, leading to longer processing times and reduced overall productivity. The American Hospital Association reported that hospitals have seen an increase in costs per discharge of 15 percent, made worse by the staffing shortage.
  • Lengthy revenue cycles and inability to collect: Shortages in billing and coding staff can delay the processing of claims and collections, impacting the financial health of healthcare institutions. The healthcare turnover rate increased from 16 percent at the end of 2016 to 19.5 percent at the end of 2020, making it harder for hospitals to streamline the collection process.

These factors generate issues all across the healthcare system and really hinder its effectiveness. And if the healthcare system isn’t functioning properly, everyone–employees and patients included–is suffering.

Solutions to Solve the Healthcare Workforce Shortage

Clearly, there are numerous reasons why there is a staffing shortage in healthcare. So, how do we solve this issue? One of the main and most effective ways to mitigate this issue in the healthcare system is with technological solutions.

Using Automation in Reducing Workload

Technology is becoming increasingly prominent in aiding the healthcare staffing shortage, and automation specifically is helping reduce manual tasks that healthcare workers spend much of their time on.

Examples of automation tools can be found in modern electronic health records (EHRs). An EHR is an electronic version of a patient’s medical history that is maintained by the provider and can be transferred across hospital systems to various providers who participate in that patient’s care. While EHRs have been around for decades, newer systems have built-in automation tools. For example, smart bots can automate data entry, doctors can pull up pre-saved templates for certain types of cases, and software programs can automate billing and coding through EHR systems. Doctors and hospitals can leverage automation tools in EHRs to customize their data and documents to meet their needs.

Enhancing Flexibility with Telehealth Services

One major benefit pioneered due to the pandemic was the enhanced flexibility provided by telehealth services. Telehealth options were understudied and underused (NIH) until the pandemic, but their flexible care benefits patients and providers alike.

Reducing physical appointments eases the workload on healthcare staff and facilities and provides more opportunities and accessibility for those who can’t or don’t want to meet in person. It also reduces staff burnout due to the flexibility and safer environment. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of telehealth visits among Medicare recipients skyrocketed from approximately 5 million to more than 53 million, indicating a massive uptake in telehealth services during this period. Furthermore, approximately 80% of physicians reported plans to continue using telehealth services post-pandemic, reflecting a strong endorsement of telehealth’s effectiveness and integration into routine medical practice.

Streamlining Operations with Patient Access Technology

For both physical and telehealth appointments, patient access technology has made it possible to streamline administrative processes. This technology, such as online patient portals and mobile check-in apps, is improving patient flow, reducing waiting times, and enhancing the overall efficiency of healthcare services. These technological advancements enable real-time updates on appointment status and expected wait times, further enhancing patient satisfaction by setting clear expectations. They also facilitate smoother coordination between different healthcare services, ensuring patients receive timely referrals and follow-up care without unnecessary delays.

Atrium Health (formerly Carolinas Medical Center) has implemented this enhanced patient access technology and seen significant improvements in its operational efficiency. As a result, Atrium Health has been able to dramatically expand its reach across the Southeast. By reducing barriers to access, telehealth cuts wait times, reduces patient no-show rates, and makes it easier than ever to see a doctor when needed.

Data Analytics for Operational Efficiency

Data analytics has become a cornerstone in modern healthcare management, especially in forecasting patient volumes, managing staffing requirements, and optimizing resource allocation. Healthcare facilities can anticipate patient inflow trends through advanced analytics and predictive modeling, adjust staffing levels appropriately, and ensure that resources are adequately distributed to meet anticipated demands. For instance, by analyzing historical admission rates, patient demographics, and seasonal illness patterns, hospitals can predict peak periods and prepare by scheduling additional staff or reallocating resources to high-demand areas.

Furthermore, data analytics aids in real-time operational efficiency analysis, allowing healthcare managers to make informed decisions swiftly. This agility is crucial in dynamic environments such as emergency departments where patient flow can fluctuate unpredictably. By leveraging data-driven insights, hospitals can optimize workflows, reduce bottlenecks, and enhance patient care delivery, ultimately improving patient outcomes and satisfaction.

A few key examples of analytical tools include:  

• Predictive Analytics Software: Tools like IBM Watson Health analyze large datasets to predict trends in patient volumes and staff needs, enabling proactive management of resources.
• Electronic Health Records (EHR) Systems with Integrated Analytics: EHR systems such as Epic and Cerner offer built-in analytics to monitor real-time data on patient admissions and discharges, which helps in anticipating daily staffing needs.
• Resource Optimization Tools: Software like Simul8 enables the simulation of different staffing scenarios to find the most efficient allocation of resources across a hospital’s departments.

EnterBridge Technologies provides solutions that harness the power of data analytics in the healthcare sector. Our platforms integrate seamlessly with existing healthcare data systems to extract, analyze, and provide actionable insights that drive decision-making. EnterBridge’s analytics tools can help healthcare organizations not only predict and plan for future patient loads but also optimize their current operations for maximum efficiency and effectiveness

Leveraging AI and Machine Learning for Smarter Staffing

Another sector of technology that is proving useful in a healthcare setting is AI and machine learning, which is able to predict staffing needs, optimize schedules, and manage workforce deployment. The work AI and machine learning can do helps those in management positions spend more time fulfilling their staff’s needs by doing the preliminary work.

The functions of AI are evolving to more closely resemble human cognitive processes, enhancing its utility in identifying and addressing workplace challenges. Specifically, AI algorithms can analyze vast tracts of data on staff work patterns, vacation time, sick leaves, and job satisfaction surveys. Then, this information can be used to identify anomalies in data sets, pinpointing underlying causes of staff burnout and turnover rate. As an example, if it notices a correlation between increased turnover and certain shifts or excessive overtime, the system can alert management to these stressors, allowing the hospital to intervene before staff shortages arise.

Additional Strategies to Address the Shortages

By understanding the factors surrounding staffing shortages and utilizing technology to help combat those issues, there is an optimistic outlook on increasing the number of healthcare professionals. Some additional strategies to address the shortages are enhanced recruitment and retention programs, education and training initiatives, and work environment improvements. Each of these ideas implemented together can make a difference in the healthcare sector.

Enhanced Recruitment and Retention Programs

One of the initial barriers to having more trained healthcare professionals was a lack of retention and recruitment barriers. To improve these areas, the healthcare industry should provide better incentives to stay within the profession and better support systems to sustain employees.

Technology can also impact the recruitment process by connecting employers with qualified applicants through job sites, automatically screening applicants’ resumes, and even allowing video interviews or assessments. It manages much of the grunt work that can now be done towards retention.

Education and Training Initiatives

Technology not only enhances learning through accelerated and online courses but also integrates real-world healthcare challenges into the educational curriculum. This integration allows students to engage directly with current healthcare technologies and practices, making their learning more relevant and immediately applicable.  For example, virtual reality (VR) simulations and AI-driven diagnostic tools can be used in training scenarios. This provides students with hands-on experience in safe, controlled environments.

In addition, partnerships between healthcare organizations and educational institutions often trigger the development of customized educational programs that have been tailored to address potential gaps in the healthcare industry. This unique, targeted approach speeds up the training process and ensures that new healthcare professionals are ready to meet the demands of their roles. When graduates enter the workforce, they bring innovative ideas and approaches that can dramatically improve patient care and boost operational efficiency.

Work Environment Improvements

Once people enter the healthcare industry, it’s important to provide an environment in which they can thrive. Some specific strategies to achieve this goal are improving staff-to-patient ratios, creating more collaborative team structures, and offering mental health support.

A comprehensive survey conducted by Becker’s Hospital Review has noted that hospitals are implementing a number of measures to reward employees and reduce turnover. They include:

• Flexible work options (93%, up from 78% in 2022)
• Gender-affirming benefits (64%, up from 45% in 2022)
• Enhanced behavioral health benefits (57%, up from 40% in 2022)
• Personal leave (84%, up from 74% in 2022)
• Financial wellness/planning (80%, up from 72% in 2022)
• Student loan repayment plans (44%, with an additional 37% considering this option in 2024)

These numbers clearly show that hospitals have noted the impact of the staffing shortage on patient care and are taking measures to correct it.

Success Case Studies from Healthcare Organizations

CommonSpirit Health is the second-largest non-profit hospital chain in the country. It recognized the need to have an internal nurse-staffing agency to increase nurse staffing during peak periods. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many internal issues and shined a spotlight on the problem. Now, CommonSpirit Health has an internal staffing agency that gives nurses the flexibility to travel when it works for them. This has markedly increased the flexibility within the organization and improved staff morale.

Another example is the Southcoast Health Visiting Nurse Association, a healthcare organization that partnered with health organizations to reduce clinician burden and improve patient outcomes. Through this RPM program, patients have one nursing visit per week replaced with a virtual visit. This program reduces overall cost of care and allows the clinician to connect with the patient as often as they need. The end result is more patient encounters at a lower cost, improving clinical outcomes.

Finally, at the Virginia Department of Health, the introduction of automation significantly transformed staff roles and operational efficiency. Soundararajan's initiative to implement automation addressed routine inquiries and administrative tasks. The department’s initiative allowed employees to focus on more complex issues and evolve into roles like cloud architects or automation engineers. The transition not only enhanced the department's functional capability but also aimed to future-proof the organization by developing a flexible technology platform adaptable to rapid technological changes.

Embracing Technology to Build a Resilient Healthcare Workforce

The staffing shortage in the healthcare industry is a real and urgent concern worldwide, but various technologies are being implemented to mitigate losses and improve retention. Automation can reduce employees’ workload and speed up recruiting new professionals. Telehealth services and patient access technology can provide flexible and accessible options for both patients and providers. Data analytics can help manage administrative duties and save time for other important tasks. The potential of these transformative technologies to mitigate and ‘cure’ the staffing shortage is being tested among notable healthcare organizations and should be considered everywhere. The healthcare industry can create a more efficient and resilient workforce by embracing and implementing these technologies.

At EnterBridge, we help you customize and design automation tools that allow you to maximize the performance of each valued team member. This helps you free up more time to focus on caring for patients and providing quality services. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to learn more about how we can help you.