By HFT Staff

Eighty-five percent of hospitals, medical groups, home health providers and other healthcare facilities are experiencing a shortage of allied healthcare professionals, according to a new survey conducted by AMN Healthcare. Eighty-two percent hired newly graduated allied healthcare professionals over the last 12 months to help address staffing shortages. 

Most of those surveyed (80 percent) said their primary challenge in recruiting allied healthcare professionals is the current labor shortage. Longer times to fill positions was cited as a key staffing challenge by 71 percent of those surveyed, while 46 percent said burnout among allied healthcare professionals poses a major staffing challenge. 

Healthcare facility managers were asked what their facilities are doing to address the shortage of allied healthcare professionals. About two-thirds said they are offering additional hiring incentives such as signing bonuses, while 59 percent said they are increasing pay rates. Fifty-nine percent also said they are hiring temporary allied healthcare professionals to fill gaps on their staffs.  

The survey indicates the use of temporary allied healthcare professionals might have increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, those surveyed indicated that an average of 25 percent of their allied healthcare professional staffs were composed of temporary providers. After the pandemic, the average rose to 30 percent.