Table 1 Challenges and impacts of workforce dynamics in healthcare
From: Healthcare on the brink: navigating the challenges of an aging society in the United States
Factor | Implication | Notable Statistics |
---|---|---|
The aging of the healthcare workforce itself, leading to increased retirements and reduced working hours. | • The system will face a significant loss of experience and expertise, as well as a reduced availability of workers. | • According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, about a third of the current registered nurses are over 50 years old, and about half of the current physicians are over 55 years old82,83. |
The insufficient supply of new entrants into the healthcare professions, due to limited educational capacity, high attrition rates, and low retention rates. | • The system will face a shortage of qualified and skilled workers, as well as a lack of diversity and representation in the workforce. • The supply of new healthcare graduates will continue to be constrained by the limited capacity of educational institutions, the high costs and debts of education, and the competitive and demanding nature of the professions82,83,84. | • According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, U.S. nursing schools turned away more than 75,000 qualified applicants in 2018 due to faculty shortages, insufficient clinical sites, and budget constraints85. • According to the AAMC, U.S. medical schools have increased their enrollment by 31% since 2002, but this is still not enough to meet the projected demand for physicians85. |
The uneven distribution of the healthcare workforce across geographic regions, specialties, and settings, resulting in shortages in rural and remote areas, primary care and geriatric care, and community-based and home-based care. | • The system will face disparities and gaps in access and quality of care for different populations, especially the elderly, who often have multiple and complex needs. • The distribution of healthcare workers will become even more skewed towards urban and affluent areas, leaving rural and remote areas with fewer and less accessible providers83,84. | • According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, about 60 million Americans live in areas with a shortage of primary care providers, and about 77 million Americans live in areas with a shortage of mental health providers86. • According to the American Geriatrics Society, there are only about 7,300 certified geriatricians in the U.S., which is far below the estimated need of 30,000 by 203087. |
The increased workload and stress of the healthcare workers, leading to burnout, dissatisfaction, and turnover | • Attrition of healthcare provider could increase leading to overall reduction in available staff. | • According to a survey by the American Nurses Association, more than half of the nurses reported feeling overwhelmed by their work, and more than a third reported feeling emotionally exhausted88. • According to a survey by the Medscape, more than 40% of the physicians reported feeling burned out, and more than 10% reported feeling depressed89. |