Workforce challenges are contributing to margin pressures for hospitals and health systems across the U.S., and rank number one on the list of hospital CEO top concerns, according to the America College of Healthcare Executives.
Research published in the Journal of Nursing Regulation found that 20 to 30 percent of the nursing workforce is actively considering retiring, leaving the profession, or departing from their current position in the near future. Similarly, 22 percent of physicians said they have considered early retirement because of overwork. These statistics among clinicians present a current and future workforce challenge that must be addressed. Workforce challenges are exacerbated in the rural setting, which is historically more difficult to recruit for than metropolitan settings due to comparatively lower professional mobility.
As these workforce issues persist, rural healthcare organizations will need to continuously evaluate how best to meet market compensation and benefit needs, as well as long-term staff development needs, to create a thriving work environment for existing and prospective staff and to compete with local for-profit employers for non-clinical staff. this article focuses on how rural hospital senior leaders and boards can pursue a multifaceted approach to:
- Attract a leading workforce.
- Retain employees through a strong culture.
- Partner with other organizations to close persistent gaps.
This article was originally published in the Governance Institute in June 2023.
