Healthcare Grapples with Shortages

Pummeled by the pandemic, healthcare workers are leaving their jobs in droves. Prior to the pandemic, administrators were challenged to adequately staff critical healthcare jobs. Stressed by shortages, sicker patients, taxing schedules, pay discrepancies, and inadequate management support, fewer and fewer nurses were available.

Staffing Overtakes Financial Challenges as Top Concern

Staffing shortages were the No.1 concern confronting hospital CEOs in 2021, followed by financial challenges and patient safety and quality issues, according to an annual survey from the American College of Healthcare Executives. This is the first time since 2004 that financial challenges fell out of the top spot. Health systems continue grappling with widespread burnout and turnover two years into the pandemic, the study found.

1 Year of COVID-19 has Changed Healthcare

This article is part of a series on what the healthcare industry looks like one year after the novel coronavirus was declared a pandemic and life in the United States began to drastically change. Healthcare workers have been pushed to their limits during the COVID-19 crisis, and some are considering a change in profession or setting as the country marks one year into the pandemic.

Hospital profitability down as operators lack flexibility

Hospital profitability declined for the first time this year during the month of June. Operating margins were down 1.88%, according to a new flash report from Kaufman Hall. Analysts blamed the decline on the inability of many hospitals to rapidly cut expenses to match a decrease in patient volumes.