Revealing costs of ineffectively staffed organizations and influences
Neurosurgeons, Cardiologist, Oncologist, Embryologist, Immunologist, Pulmonologist, Reproductive Endocrinologist, Orthopedic Surgeons, Gastroenterologist, and Infectious Disease Practitioners, all have one prominent commonality among these rather different specialties, "Help Wanted".
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Overall employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2022 to 2032. About 1.8 million openings are projected each year, on average, in these occupations due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently.”
During our journey with the healthcare community, we continued to hear the same themes. The relentless stressors of labor challenges today not only impact the institution’s bottom line, it also takes a toll on patient access and quality of care.
These influences foster ineffectively staffed physician offices and hospitals, which are unable to service routine issues and create a compound effect on the system as a whole.
The impacts are varied and transcend among Board Members, CEOs, and Physicians, along with their Staff. At the center of them all, patients.
Costs & Influences
Lifesaving surgeries are postponed as there are only a handful of doctors within the state who are qualified to perform them.
Physician-prescribed medication oversite, causing adverse reactions and negative counteractive effects, can be a result of cumbersome, decentralized technology, with missing or incorrect patient medical history. Lack of physician and support staff bandwidth stifles quick and proper identification of issues. Fears of physician malpractice due to competency also drives these complications.
Wages among healthcare support staff are less than in other industries. According to Indeed, a McDonald's Shift Manager earns on average $ 35,838 annually, while a Medical Receptionist earns on average $34,631 annually, and a Caregiver earns on average $32,697 annually.
Staff burnout continues to riddle the industry. These individuals are not immune to the toll of a system in need of repair. Patients are also aware of these circumstances, as they see the visible effects accumulate over time. They often wonder, will my Physician be well rested during my surgery or procedure?
Doctor office unresponsiveness during medical treatment concerns, means patients are taking painstaking, expensive, long trips to a distressed ER. Physician offices which have adequate staff to receive, triage, and address routine problems, help avoid patient ER visits.
Wait times to schedule routine & non-routine appointments often exceed three to six months. While these turnaround times are expected within countries with universal healthcare, this tends to be a norm in many systems today.
"Customer Care", as it is commonly known as within other industries, is fractured within this system. Front-line, forward-facing staff offer little acknowledgment, support, or empathy to the most vulnerable.
Lastly, we would be remiss if we did not briefly touch on the health insurance difficulties faced by all. This includes those who are more than adequately insured. Some of these individuals are covered by the best primary and secondary insurances. They too find themselves frustrated. Patient over payments, lost in a sea of EOBs, exorbitant amount of time spent interpreting and chasing medical documents and diagnosis codes, working with uninformed billing professionals, within complicated record portals, are a few ongoing obstacles. Among the aging population, these problems are compounded.
“Overall employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2022 to 2032.”
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Patient Perceptions
With an overloaded healthcare system busting at the seams, the perception is, precision medicine and personalized care continues to be an idea,rather than a reality. The tailoring of medical treatment to individual characteristics appears to be out of reach. When outcomes requiring non-complex matters are not addressed, continue to accumulate, and negatively impact patients year over year, confidence in the system, and thosewho support it, continues to erode.
Contrary View
Acknowledgments and progress, by CEOs and Physicians, with respect to improvements needed within the healthcare system, hasn’t gone unnoticed by patients. Similar to the phoenix rising from the ashes, there is also beauty which results in overcoming system adversities. Patients recognize these achievements as well, which brings them peace of mind.
The burden of feeling as if the weight of the world is on the shoulders of patients begins to also subside, when a robust treatment plan is established and executed successfully.
CEOs and Physicians become personally invested by showing unwavering support, offering personal cell phone numbers to ensure direct accessibility.
Physician Support Staff begins to resemble a “family like” relationship and atmosphere, among patients and their biological families and friends. These individuals are viewed as angels on earth, caring for their loved ones.
Establishing power of attorney “POA” within ICU, while lifesaving surgeries occur in parallel, results in miracles that only talented teams can achieve, while bringing a next-level experience, lifelong patient gratitude, and feelings unexplainable through words.
Optimism & Change on the Horizon
While segments of the aforementioned may overwhelm some, what is also prevalent is hope, passion, and a commitment to doing better. BoardMembers, CEOs, Physicians, and their staff, continue to have the fire within to acknowledge challenges, and tirelessly implement changes.
They lean on their trusted communities to educate, engage in dialogue, and enact real-life solutions to highly sensitive industry opportunities. In addition, it is not uncommon for these individuals to speak with patients directly, to work through solutions. AI is also a forefront solution to support industry concerns. While AI will never be an end-all solution, a replacement for human touch, or offer compassion only a human can, it will be within the background of our everyday solutions.
This is also where WILLWAY GLOBAL has been grateful to support executive leadership to assess, diagnose and execute effective strategies and hiring initiatives. Whether organizations are experiencing M&A transactions, carve-outs, turnarounds, build-outs or transformations, these changes only complicate already existing system issues. However, with recognition, impactful leadership, effective partnerships and continued patient engagement, the trajectory of healthcare holistically will continue to advance. Perhaps “Help Wanted” will begin to dissipate as well, and“Effectively Staffed” will be the new commonality among this meaningful community.