Significant Challenge’s Hospital Leaders Face:
- By some estimates, clinicians account for nearly 20% of the COVID-19-infected cases in the U.S. 1
- Physician shortages2 :
- Primary care shortage is projected to be between 21,400 and 55,200 physicians by 2033
- A large portion of the physician workforce is nearing traditional retirement age
- The U.S. is projected to experience a shortage of more than 7,900 critical care physicians during the pandemic
- Effect of COVID-19 on physicians’ mental health3 :
- 50% experience inappropriate anger, tearfulness or anxiety
- 8% had thoughts of self-harm
- Nurse shortages4 5 :
- Projected need for additional nurses by 2026: 2,000,000
- Projected increase in the supply of nurses by 2026: 500,000
- 86% of baby boomer nurses plan to retire in the next 5 years
- 66% of nurses worry that their jobs are affecting their health
- 41% have been victims of bullying, incivility or other forms of workplace violence
- 20% of all nurses plan to retire in the next 5 years
- Effect of COVID-19 on nurses’ mental health6:
- 73% suffer from challenges with sleep
- 50% feel overwhelmed
- 30% experience feelings of depression
1 Dai, Tinglong et al. “PPE Supply Chain Needs Data Transparency and Stress Testing,” Journal of General Internal Medicine, June 30, 2020
2 “State Hospital Workforce Deficit Estimator,” Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, The George Washington University, gwhwi.org/estimator.html
3 “2020 Survey of America’s Physicians: COVID-19 Impact Edition,” The Physicians Foundation, September 2020
4 “The 2021 AHA Health Care Talent Scan,” American Hospital Association, August 2020.
5 2019 Survey of Registered Nurses: A Challenging Decade Ahead,” AMN Healthcare, Nov. 12, 2019.
6 “New Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses Survey Series: Half of Frontline Nurses Emotionally Overwhelmed by COVID-19,” American Nurses Foundation, July 15, 202
