Hiring Trends in Healthcare

Hospitals and healthcare are two of the three largest industries in the United States. While the healthcare industry faces ever-evolving challenges, it also leads the world in innovation and research. 

Many of us became glaringly aware during the COVID-19 global pandemic of just how important healthcare workers really are and the intense sacrifices they and their families make every single day. The global pandemic has impacted all industries in different ways, but has especially negatively impacted the healthcare industry, plaguing workers with burnout and healthcare shortages across all healthcare worker professions.

The Association of Medical Colleges states that, "Physician demand will continue to grow faster than supply, leading to a shortage of between 54,100 and 139,000 physicians by 2033. The most alarming gaps are expected in primary care and rural communities." As the demand in the industry grows, hospitals and other care facilities need to continue focusing on the quality of their hires. For many, this includes bringing on more part-time staff and expanding their headcount across all departments.

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Healthcare worker burnout hurts all of us

There's many causes of burnout among healthcare workers that existed well before the global pandemic, but the pandemic exacerbated them. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Academy of Medicine found that burnout had reached "crisis levels" among the U.S. health workforce, with 35-54% of nurses and physicians and 45-60% of medical students and residents reporting symptoms of burnout.

Causes of burnout include:

• Intense workloads
• Administrative burdens
• Limited flexibility and control over scheduling
• An overall need for organizational support

If not addressed, the health worker burnout crisis will continue to negatively impact the healthcare workforce, contributing to widespread shortages. Additionally, it will make it harder for patients to receive care when they need it most, cause a continuous rise to healthcare costs, hinder our ability to prepare for any future public health emergencies, and worsen preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations.

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The healthcare industry is getting smarter about hiring

The healthcare industry has no choice but to get smarter about hiring in order to attract and retain healthcare workers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow 13 percent from 2021 to 2031. This is a much faster projection than the average for all occupations. The increase is expected to result in about 2 million new jobs over the next decade. 

Hospitals are hiring more mental health professionals, social workers, and part-time staff to help the staff and patients navigate the complexities of their lives and health. While some hospitals have been slow to embrace these changes, according to a study by Rand Corp., many hospitals now recognize the benefits of increasing the number of "non-medical" staff members in their facilities.

Rand researchers surveyed executives from 60 large hospitals across the country, asking them about their use of non-medical staff members such as social workers and peer counselors who assist patients with housing or transportation needs. Results suggest that hospitals have significantly increased their use over time: In 2014, only 9% reported using social workers; today, almost two-thirds do so (67%).

These shortages of allied care professionals have also been reported. Therapists, porters, imaging and lab techs, and other allied care professionals are in high demand with the industry shift. AMN Healthcare surveyed 1,005 healthcare venues and learned that 85% of the survey respondents report moderate to major staffing shortages.

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As the healthcare industry grows, hospitals and other care facilities focus on allied care and part-time hiring.

As the healthcare industry shifts its approach to hiring, hospitals and other care facilities continue to focus on improving the quality of these hires. Hospitals need to hire more people, and many are taking steps to entice candidates in order to meet the growing demand for patient care. Hiring part-time staff, filling allied care roles with temps, and offering increased base pay rates or signing bonuses are among the tactics being employed. 

59% of the AMN survey respondents stated they're hiring temps to fill staffing gaps. COVID-19 and the ensuing staffing shifts globally resulted in an increase in temporary allied care staffing, traveling nurses, and physicians. Survey respondents say that temps accounted for 25% of their allied staff prior to 2019. Post-pandemic, that average has risen to 30%.

With the right combination of part-time workers and temps, healthcare organizations can have a flexible and cost-effective support workforce. Hiring part-time staff allows employers to keep their overall costs low while still offering employees a stable schedule. Part-time positions are also easier to fill than full-time jobs: they require fewer qualifications and allow you to attract candidates who may not be able to commit to full-time schedules. In addition, it can be easier for hospitals and other care facilities to find qualified applicants that fit their needs - without having them compete with other employers from the same talent pool.

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Healthcare hiring managers face unprecedented challenges in 2022 and beyond

Healthcare hiring managers can turn to a number of additional resources. Robert Half's In-Demand Roles report shows 47% of hiring managers in healthcare are hiring for new roles, 42% are hiring for vacated positions, and 46% are adding to the number of contract roles in their departments. This report also corroborates the need for additional allied care professionals, as Medical Transcriptionists, Medical Records Specialists, and Medical and Health Services Managers are listed as the highest-demand roles. With the surge in hiring needs having grown from the pre-2019 figures significantly, and with 85% of facilities facing hiring shortages.

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Solutions for varied healthcare staffing needs

Web Scribble career centers are designed to connect highly skilled, career-driven professional association members with their next career opportunity. Top employers and recruiters seeking specialized talent depend on Web Scribble's matching technology to access industry-qualified, invested candidates - reducing risk and costs by delivering targeted, top talent. 

Below are some examples of the professional association job boards that we power that can be of help when it comes to healthcare hiring and recruiting.

A healthcare organization can utilize the AARP Job Board to find qualified, part-time, and contract candidates. With over 500,000 member job seekers, the AARP Job Board sees its job seekers searching for customer service, clerical and administrative positions in healthcare. 

In addition to AARP, Web Scribble also powers the National Association of Social Workers' career center, NASW JobLink. NASW's membership consists of over 120,000 qualified members working in the behavioral health field. NASW JobLink is the perfect place to find and recruit qualified, credentialed, licensed social workers, therapists, counselors, and more, from across the country.

Nursing hiring challenges can be addressed with the Sigma Nursing Job Board. The Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing has over 135,000 active members and a significant presence in the new graduate nursing space. 

The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) is a key element in perpetuating success throughout the healthcare industry, and the MGMA career center is the perfect place to find a variety of qualified candidates within the healthcare industry. With access to more than 60,000 healthcare management professionals, MGMA's membership ranges in specialties from orthopedic surgery, to anesthesiology, and gastroenterology, with 88% of members having an advanced degree.

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Conclusion

With the ever-changing landscape in the healthcare industry, it's imperative to think outside the box when it comes to hiring. A strategy that includes hiring part-time employees and partnering with the proper hiring solutions to gain access to the targeted and qualified talent you are looking for can help you get ahead of and exceed your hiring goals. If you are interested in partnering with Web Scribble to gain access to the top, targeted talent, don't hesitate to get in touch with us at sales-help@webscribble.com. 

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