We Need To Prepare For An Exodus Of Healthcare Workers

If past is prologue, we’re going to lose our best.

It’s hard to imagine a greater strain on the U.S. economy, healthcare system, and social fabric of our country than the present coronavirus outbreak. Add to that the likelihood of a departure of healthcare workers when the pandemic slows, and we’re in for a long recovery.

Much has been written on the current provider shortage in nearly every specialty in healthcare. Data published last year by the Association of American Medical Colleges predicts a shortfall of nearly 122,000 physicians by 2032. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a need for more than a million nurses. And a 2017 study found that nearly half the public health labor force was ready to leave within five years. That’s especially startling given the purge of more than 56,000 jobs from local health departments since 2008.

All this reflects the reality before COVID-19 took hold. Today, with reports of hospitals hemorrhaging money and staff as a result of the pandemic, the picture is even bleaker.

Moreover, for nearly a third of providers on the job, we’re experiencing a crisis of burnout. Physician burnout rates are double that of other industries, with unprecedented levels of depression and the highest rates of suicide…