Original article appeared in Inc
The healthcare industry is facing a crippling worker shortage. A recent analysis of workforce data found that staffing shortages have cost hospitals $24 billion since early 2020. Unsustainable working conditions pushed droves of employees out of the healthcare space, leaving patient care centers woefully understaffed and remaining workers without the support they need.
On the current trajectory, the situation will only get worse. To combat this, healthcare providers must find ways to increase the operational efficiency of their existing personnel. Advanced technology such as artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tools and data science applications are powerful force multipliers capable of streamlining work functions to improve productivity.
Drivers and impacts of the deepening healthcare staffing shortage crisis
The stressors of the COVID-19 era have exacerbated what was already an intensifying healthcare labor supply-and-demand imbalance.
The pandemic increased the urgency to confront this crisis. In fact, a recent survey of healthcare personnel found that 18 percent of participants left their positions during the pandemic. Additionally, 31 percent of the respondents have considered quitting their jobs. Further, the findings showed that 79 percent of healthcare workers reported experiencing the impact of the staff shortage personally and in their workplace.
