Healthcare Workers in Dangerously Short Supply
Healthcare Workers Are Wiped
The healthcare workforce is a tired and emotional group following more than two years on the front lines of an exhausting battle against COVID-19.
The demands placed on them for support have been unrelenting, but overall these data show that there will not be enough healthcare workers in time to meet future needs; this could lead towards disaster if nothing changes soon!
It’s a problem that needs to be addressed quickly, as the U.S is losing healthcare professionals at an alarming rate and there will soon be too few available for appropriate care in this country during our present turmoil with burnout levels increasing exponentially every day–a trend many expect won’t change until we see some relief on salary demands or increased compensation elsewhere (e.g., bonuses).
Leaving in Droves
The need for healthcare workers is likely to grow in the coming years, as more than 6.5 million individuals are expected permanently leave this critical workforce over next five years due aging population and leaving behind a substantial shortage of patient-care providers. More than 9 out 10 counties across America face an imminent labor crisis caused by these factors.
Critical Factors Driving Demand For Healthcare Workers
The population in the U.S. is getting older and older. The number of people aged 65 years and over will more than double to 84 million by 2050 compared with 44 million in 2012, according to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) projections. This demographic shift is coming at a time when there’s already an existing shortage of primary care doctors , largely due to millions retiring over the next five years which creates labor shortages across nearly all types of generalist physicians .
Combined, these factors create significant shortages across both physician specialties and non-physician providers such as nurses, home health aides, certified nursing assistants, etc. – even in areas that have historically had ample homecare staffing like Florida.
And hospice workers are dropping at an even faster rate; many feel vulnerable being in someone’s home for an extended period of time.
The Next [Big] Wave of HC Workers Starting in 2024
So, if more than 6.5 million individuals are expected to leave these critical occupations in the next five years, where will future demand for healthcare workers come from?
Simple: immigrants.
In fact, about 25 percent (25%) of current healthcare workers have been in the U.S. less than 10 years and over 60 percent have been here less than 20 years. And a large percentage of immigrants will continue to work in this critical sector – especially as many aging baby boomers move into retirement.
See more about the profile of a home health aide.
These new retirees will require higher rates of homecare services and long-term nursing care aides while growing numbers of children with special needs will need additional resources at school (e.g., physical therapy support) and home (e.g., personal assistants).
