Hospital execs facing shortage of physicians, nurses

Editor's Note

A Navigant analysis of survey data from the Healthcare Financial Management Association finds that hospital executives are facing continued shortages of physicians, nurses, and mental health providers in the coming years, and they will be focusing on labor and supply chain productivity to reduce hospital operating expenses, the August 22 Business Wire reports.

The survey of 101 chief financial officers and operations executives cited nurse and physician shortages as areas of concern:

• 43% say nurse shortages are worse than last year, and 27% say shortages have improved
• 35% say physician shortages are worse and 20% say they are better than a year ago.

Addressing these shortages may cause hospitals to project higher labor budgets as administrators anticipate offering increased compensation to fill these positions.