In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, staying abreast of emerging trends is crucial for ensuring effective staffing strategies. From technological advancements to shifts in patient demographics, various factors influence how healthcare organizations operate and, consequently, how they manage their workforce. In this blog, we delve into some of the top trends shaping the healthcare industry and explore their implications for staffing.
Top Trends in Healthcare
Demand for healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly changed staffing in the industry. Facilities experienced a trend of staffing shortages as the demand for healthcare services increased, and burnout soared across many professions, specifically nursing. As demand for nursing staff and healthcare supplies grew, so did the cost to healthcare systems, requiring an advancement in healthcare technologies to streamline or offset these expenses. Another trend that benefited many healthcare systems was the rise of data analytics to improve processes such as online payment and scheduling systems, taking some of the burden off of healthcare staff and freeing them up for other tasks.
What the Healthcare Trend Means for Staffing
These trends have resulted in a positive job outlook for those seeking employment in the healthcare sector. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that 45% of all job gains from 2022 to 2032 will come from the healthcare and social assistance sector, which is the highest compared to all other industries.¹ Here’s a detailed breakdown of the potential impacts these trends in healthcare can have on staffing:
Sourcing Non-Local Nurses
As the industry began to experience workforce shortages, healthcare facilities started to look elsewhere for their nursing staff. A rising demand for healthcare from an aging population requires additional team members to support the health and wellness of the community. Consequently, there is likely to be a continued need to source non-local nurses, such as temporary nurses, to meet workforce demands. This helps healthcare facilities fill their immediate hiring needs and support the local community.
Hiring Practice Changes
With trends in healthcare focusing on technology advancements and data analytics, hiring efforts now also include finding quality information technology and data analytics talent. Consequently, hiring teams need to learn the requirements of quality candidates to fill those roles. Terminology, equipment, and daily operations differ from traditional healthcare roles, which means a potentially steep learning curve for those tasked with hiring these professionals.
To close the knowledge gap, courses and collaboration with hiring teams in the data analytics and information technology sectors can help a company’s hiring team learn what to look for in ideal candidates. This process can also familiarize the team with technical jargon, industry terms, and other details that can improve their effectiveness in finding quality applicants.
Reallocating Resources
Hiring teams faced increased labor expenses, as travel nurses earned an average salary of $126,384 per year compared with $93,042 annually for staff nurses in 2023.² This significant increase also impacts other budgetary factors. Healthcare systems may even undergo mergers and acquisitions, falling under the scope of larger healthcare facilities because the smaller system can’t support these drastic budgetary changes. The increase in wages is predicted to continue with the growing demand for quality local nurses.
Recent healthcare industry trends have resulted in a shift in staffing needs and requirements for healthcare systems. Remaining flexible with these needs, and partnering with an award-winning staffing agency like Medix, can help employers find the required talent to prepare your organization for the future.
- “Employment Projections: 2022-2032 Summary,” United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, September 6, 2023, https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecopro.nr0.htm.
- “How Much Do Travel Nurses Make In A Year? | Salary 2023,” TravelNursing.org, January 9, 2023, https://www.travelnursing.org/why-travel-nurses-make-more-money/.
