Facing Sicker Patients, Shrinking Workforce, and Financial Challenges, Hospitals Need Support Now

There are three things America’s hospitals have in common right now: sicker patients, a smaller workforce and higher labor and supply costs. Big or small, urban, and rural, hospitals are being asked to meet greater demands with fewer resources.

First, people are sicker. Many individuals who put off routine care the last few years are now arriving at the hospital with more serious conditions and in need of more intensive, sometimes lifesaving care. As a result, the average length-of-stay in hospitals increased 19% last year compared to 2019.

Second, our country does not have enough doctors, nurses, and health care workers to care for more patients. The challenges of stress, trauma and burnout among our caregivers have intensified, pushing health care professionals out of the workforce. In fact, over the course of the pandemic, the U.S. nursing workforce lost more than 100,000 nurses.