Workforce Shortage Solutions
Opportunities for Health Care
KRISTEN UPPERCUE
The health care industry is currently facing a severe workforce shortage . Coupled with the increased challenges of inflation , hospital closures in rural areas and increased pressure and burnout among workers , the shortage is causing industry leaders , health care educators and the business community to look for ways to fill the gap .
There are currently 20 % fewer staffed beds in hospitals nationwide today than in August 2020 , and more than 130 rural hospitals have closed since 2010 . In West Virginia , hospitals have a capacity of 6,700 beds , yet in August 2022 , only 4,750 of those were staffed , according to Jim Kaufman , president and CEO of the West Virginia Hospital Association .
“ When rural communities lose a hospital , they struggle with convincing other businesses and families to live in rural communities following its loss ,” says Jared Phalen , attorney at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP ’ s Charleston office . “ Additionally , businesses that work adjacent to or in connection with rural hospitals , such as food , laundry services and construction , also find it harder to maintain viability after losing one of their main business partners .”
West Virginia is also facing shortages among primary care , mental health , emergency medical services , nursing staff , dental health professionals and technician roles , mostly impacting low-income and vulnerable areas in the state , according to Cynthia Persily , Ph . D ., vice chancellor for health sciences at the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission ( WVHEPC ).
While about 20 % of Americans live in rural areas , nearly one-tenth of physicians practice in them , and the government projects a shortage of more than 20,000 primary care physicians in rural areas by 2025 , according to Phalen .
“ Workforce shortages can increase the wait time to be seen for a health problem , decrease access to services — especially in rural areas — and strain the existing systems ,
such as emergency rooms when patients cannot access care for chronic conditions in their local areas ,” Persily says . “ If patients cannot access care due to workforce shortages , their conditions can worsen until untoward events occur .”
To maintain quality of care , hospitals have had to shift how they offer services , prioritizing emergency responses over scheduled treatments , which significantly impacts those whose care was delayed and increases work for the staff left , leading to stress and burnout .
Leslie Bicksler , vice president of human resources at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine ( WVSOM ), explains that while physicians are often driven by a sincere desire to help their patients , many factors result in physician burnout or a desire to seek employment outside of the state , including benefits and pay that are not competitive , a poorly trained or insufficient workforce , inefficient technology and entities that dictate by cost .
“ We can increase physician retention in West Virginia by systematically addressing these issues with a team approach , giving physicians a seat at the table as we address complex multisystem issues ,” Bicksler says .
Kaufman also says that insurance providers are another challenge on an already complex issue . Public Employee Insurance Agency ( PEIA ) covers 230,000 West Virginians ; however , the insurance pays out-of-state hospitals five times more than in-state hospitals for the same services — putting West Virginia providers at a disadvantage because out-ofstate providers can offer higher pay to workers .
“ While we are increasing the pipeline of health care professionals , we need to ensure we keep them in West Virginia with the ability to offer fair compensation , which leads back to payment issues and more specifically the need for PEIA to pay West Virginia hospitals similar to how they pay outof-state hospitals ,” Kaufman says .
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE