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Physician and Nurse Labor Shortages
Introduction
The need for healthcare workers such as nurses and physicians is increasing, but not
enough of them is staying in the workforce (Mirhoseiny et al., 2019). Why is that? The research
in this research paper will explore the reasons for the decline in workers. The paper will also
include recommendations on how to improve the current situation with retention and future
recruitment.
To provide their patients with services, health care organizations work with a diverse
range of clinical, administrative, and support staff (Buchbinder et al., p. 255, 2019). Winter at al.,
(2020) wrote that averting the negative consequences of staff shortages and locating competent
personal are two of the most significant presumptive issues confronting health systems globally.
Numerous factors are currently affecting healthcare labor market, including patient
characteristics that require adjustments to staffing levels, shifts in the way services are
reimbursed, an aging workforce, ineffective leadership for professional development in interests
and expectations, career paths, increasingly harsh working environments, and transitions in
employee work (Winter et al., 2020).
Why Is There a Shortage?
There are many reasons as to why there is a shortage in healthcare professionals. Some of
them will be discussed in this section. Schlak et al., (2022) wrote that for the purpose of
managing and preventing both acute and chronic illnesses, as well as enhancing population
health overall, access to primary care is essential. Primary care is not universally available in the
United States, despite its well-established rile in reducing health disparities and enhancing
population health. Up to 60% of primary care doctors in the US experience burnout, a condition
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Physician and Nurse Labor Shortages
related to their line of work characterized by emotional tiredness (Shlak et al., 2022). Before the
Covid-19 pandemic, physician burnout was already a prevalent and developing problem among
critical care physicians. In an ABIM study, about 70% of doctors reported feeling overly
exhausted or distressed emotionally (Gray et al., 2021).
According to Jung et al., (2023), a factor associated with the high rate of physician
burnout is the number of hours worked, particularly overtime. Healthcare professionals typically
work in practices with relatively low funding and heavier workloads, so it can be challenging to
attract and retain doctors in areas experiencing a shortage of workers. Drastic workloads in the
medical field have been linked to overtime, the actual stress of being on call, the ability to take
breaks, and working on the weekends, in free time, and during holidays (Jung et al., 2023).
Low funding is another factor that affects physician and nursing shortage. A fact sheet
claims that the growth trajectories for graduate medical education predicted in this year’s report
will not occur if funding does not increase outside existing levels (“New AAMC Report Shows
Continuing Projected Physician Shortage,” 2024). The authors of “The Impact of Financial
Assistance Programs on Health Care Utilization: Evidence from Keiser Permanente” share that
Low-income patients’ access to financing is especially dispersed; it includes Medicaid public
insurance, subsidized private insurance through the Marketplaces, free or reduced care from
Federally Qualified Health Centers and uninsured care from hospitals and other healthcare
professionals in the manner of charity care and outstanding debts. In addition to influencing who
is responsible for paying for medical care, financing may also influence the standard of that
patients get (Adams et al., 2022).
Lastly, job dissatisfaction plays a big role in retention. A number of things, including
work colleagues, management staff, the work itself, and promotions, can lead to job
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Physician and Nurse Labor Shortages
dissatisfaction (Judge et al., 2001). Not only does job dissatisfaction have an impact on how
healthcare professionals perform in their duties, but it can also affect the quality of care for the
patients (Azmi et al., 2022).
What is the Significance of the Shortage?
Physicians are acutely aware that that current physician shortage is already limiting the
access to care for millions of people across the country (American Medical Association &
American Medical Association, 2023). The authors of “The Nursing Shortage & Physician
Shortage: Automating and Improving Clinical Efficiency for Physicians and Nurses to Avoid
Unnecessary Staff Turnover” share that the reduced access to care, longer wait times, and a
higher risk of medical errors are all consequences of the shortage of nurses and doctors. Patients
may be forces to travel long distances for medical care, or they may not receive any treatment at
all, because of the lack of physicians and nurses in their area (Timm, 2024).
The rising geriatric and population increase, along with the potential retirement of many
experienced physicians, could result in a shortage of up to 120,000 doctors by 2030, according to
new data released by the AAMC (“Looming Doctor Shortage Could Impact Patient Care,” 2022).
Timm (2024) states that healthcare services are becoming more and more necessary as the baby
boomer generation ages. A further problem is that there are not enough new hires entering the
healthcare sector to replace the large number of workers who are approaching retirement age
(Timm, 2024).
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Physician and Nurse Labor Shortages
How Can the Shortage be Improved?
In order to address the physician shortage, Mangiofico (2020) suggest a multipronged
approach that includes increasing financial support for residency programs, using physician
extenders more frequently to increase a physician’s reach, and espousing cutting-edge
technologies to increase medical coverage, especially in rural and underserved areas. Regarding
graduate medical education training, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
recommended that rural emergency hospitals be the sites for training beginning in fiscal year
2024. This would allow for some alleviation in the labor shortage in remote areas (Assistant
Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA), 2023).
Conclusion
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, the physician shortage was already a prevalent and
developing problem among critical care physicians (Zhang et al., 2020). There are many factors
that play into the shortage as researched and shared in this paper. The shortage will continue to
happen unless something is done to keep current employees from leaving and to encourage
potential ones to join the workforce.
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Physician and Nurse Labor Shortages
Works Cited:
American Medical Association & American Medical Association. (2023, November 6). The
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Association.Ihttps://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/sustainability/physician-
shortage-crisis-here-and-so-are-bipartisan-fixes
Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA). (2023, July 26). HHS invests $11 million to
expand medical residencies in rural
communities.IHHS.gov.Ihttps://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/07/26/hhs-invests-11-
million-expand-medical-residencies-rural-communities.html
Azmi, M. I., Daud, A., Shafei, M. N., & Hamid, A. A. (2022). Job Dissatisfaction and Its
Predictors among Healthcare Workers of ‘Type 2 Health Clinics’ in North-Eastern
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Physician and Nurse Labor Shortages
Mangiofico, G. (2020, July 30). Physician shortage requires Multi-Prong
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Mirhoseiny, S., Geelvink, T., Martin, S., Vollmar, H. C., Stock, S., & Redaèlli, M. (2019). Does
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