SUPPLY CHAIN
BY DANIEL BEAIRD
The Healthcare Continuum Takes on Staffing Shortages Supply chain leaders examine how their health systems are handling clinical and non-clinical personnel deficits.
Recently in California, the state’s department of public health temporarily
Many healthcare workers burned out by
changed its coronavirus guidelines to allow asymptomatic, COVID-19 positive health-
the pandemic have quit. Many that remain
care workers back to work without isolating or testing. The guidelines were in effect
have tested positive for the coronavirus and
from Jan. 8 to Feb. 1 to curb the critical staffing shortages experienced across the
are isolating. Healthcare facilities are busier
healthcare continuum, the state health department stated. The California Nurses
than last year due to more demand for non-
Association criticized the decision.
COVID related care. Where does this leave the nation’s health systems with staffing issues? How are they being mitigated? The Journal of Healthcare Contracting (JHC) surveyed supply chain leaders from health systems about the medical staff shortages. JHC: There are staffing shortages amongst hospitals in general. Clinician burnout along with the resurgence of COVID-19 in high infection regions has pushed workforce management to the front of the line. How are staffing shortages affecting how you take care of your patients? George Godfrey, Corporate VP and Chief Supply Chain Officer of Baptist Health (South Florida): We take incremental steps to make certain that patient care is never impacted. This takes additional time and resources to properly manage staff scheduling and deployment. Erik Walerius, Chief Supply Chain Officer of UW Medicine (Seattle, WA): Increased use of overtime and temporary labor to fill in staffing challenges to avoid clinical impacts.
The Journal of Healthcare Contracting | February 2022
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