The American healthcare system is experiencing a growing crisis: How do we adequately staff our operating rooms, hospitals, clinics and offices with healthcare professionals? The lack of staff crosses all professional lines, from physicians to nurses to lab technologists—all levels of staff are in short supply. To deal with this challenge, health administrators have resorted to using temporary contract workers known as locums. These temporary, stop-gap employees are usually paid multiple times more than permanent staff. This practice not only undervalues full-time employees, but also exacerbates the crisis because it robs staff from other facilities to staff another. Finally, the increase in locums, and its associated costs, has undeniably harmed the bottom line with many services and facilities closing down, further decreasing access to healthcare for the public.

 

We as health professionals need to address this crisis. To do so, the causes must be analyzed and solutions developed. Some issues, such as salary lines and child care, can easily be addressed. Others, such as professional burnout due to electronic medical record systems, which have taken professionals away from patient care—essentially making them data entry clerks—should be addressed, and jointly with technology companies. The bottom line is that all of us must focus on this crisis or it will lead to a marked decline of the American healthcare delivery system.