Health leaders: Here are 10 healthcare trends to keep on your radar for 2024, along with actions to strengthen your organization’s workforce strategy moving forward.

<p>To optimize workforce decisions, leaders must consider evolving healthcare trends. From increased healthcare sector employment to technological advancements, we've compiled 10 trends to keep in mind, along with implications and opportunities to fortify your workforce strategy for 2024.</p><h2>1. Healthcare employment is recovering but remains below predicted levels.</h2><p><strong>The trend:</strong> "As of October 2023, the health sector added 58,400 jobs over the previous month. Jobs in the health sector are 3.9% higher than in February 2020 (the previous peak), compared to 2.9% in all other sectors…By October 2023, physicians' offices, outpatient care centers, home health services, and hospitals employed more people than they had in February 2020. However,…employment in these industries is still below expected levels, given pre-pandemic trends." (<a href="https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/what-are-the-recent-trends-health-sector-employment/#Cumulative%20%%20change%20in%20health%20sector%20and%20non-health%20sector%20employment,%20January%201990%20-%20October%202023" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker</a>).</p><p><img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2Fec23c65f480b4f8699dc832816bf2973%2F9c5733e23cd142769a749e8ed8610718" width="90%"></p><p><strong>Implications for healthcare leaders:</strong> Since there are increasingly more jobs in the healthcare sector, your organization may have a tougher time competing for top-quality talent. Take steps to increase your facility's appeal to candidates. Work on programs to improve attraction and retention. Can you beef up your job listings? Highlight differentiators? Invest in programs that will enhance work experience? Enlist the help of a <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/locums" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">staffing agency</a> to identify ideal prospects?</p><h2>2. Physicians are still facing burnout.</h2><p><strong>The trend:</strong> According to <a href="https://www.medscape.com/slideshow/2023-lifestyle-burnout-6016058?icd=login_success_email_match_norm#2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Medscape's 2023 Physician Burnout and Depression Report</a>, "53% of physicians said they are burned out – a big change from [the] report 5 years ago, before COVID-19 crashed onto the scene. In Medscape's 2018 report, 42% of physicians said they were burned out. Also 23% of physicians report depression now compared with 15% of respondents 5 years ago."</p><p><img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2Fec23c65f480b4f8699dc832816bf2973%2F3ac335e982424894bc7d3a5c8cafba3d" width="50%"></p><p><strong>Implications for healthcare leaders:</strong> Facilities cannot overlook the stark reality that over half of physician respondents reported feeling burned out, and nearly a quarter felt depressed. Healthcare leaders can revisit employee wellness programs and mental health resources and ensure effective plans are in place. They can also ensure permanent clinicians are not overworked by providing relief, such as <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/blog/does-my-facility-need-locums" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">locum tenens</a> reinforcements.</p><h2>3. Employers are struggling to fill positions.</h2><p>The trend: According to this Physician Occupation Snapshot accessed from Lightcast on Dec. 5, 2023, in the last 12 months, nearly 3500 employers posted nearly 80,000 jobs for physicians, yet only 1 out of every 5 physician jobs were filled.</p><p><img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2Fec23c65f480b4f8699dc832816bf2973%2F359e492d0bc34ac79fcd9735ced7976b" width="90%"></p><p><strong>Implications for healthcare leaders:</strong> Leaders must consider how to mitigate loss due to unfilled positions. In addition to lost revenue, vacancies can lead to interruptions of vital care service delivery, longer wait times, reduced patient satisfaction, reputation erosion and more. Locums and other forms of temporary support may be an answer.</p><h2>4. Chronic disease is on the rise in the U.S.</h2><p><strong>The trend:</strong> "Six in ten Americans live with at least one chronic disease, like heart disease and stroke, cancer, or diabetes. These and other chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in America, and they are also a leading driver of healthcare costs” (<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/index.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">U.S. Centers for Disease Control</a>).</p><p><strong>Implications for healthcare leaders:</strong> Leaders will need to hire enough physicians and advanced practice providers who focus on the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases as well as specialists like cardiologists, oncologists, endocrinologists, vascular neurologists, bariatricians, cardiovascular surgeons, bariatric surgeons and others.</p><h2>5. Patients want telehealth options.</h2><p><strong>The trend:</strong> In <a href="https://press.doximity.com/reports/state-of-telemedicine-report-2023.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Doximity's</a> 2023 State of Telemedicine Report, "…nearly 60% of patients who had a telemedicine visit in the past year participated in a minimum of three virtual visits. Over one in five (21%) participated in six or more visits, and this frequency was similar among patients with and without chronic illnesses. Further, nearly 76% of patients who had a telemedicine visit reported it improved their access to health care services."</p><p><img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2Fec23c65f480b4f8699dc832816bf2973%2F3c290fb6c7194fb5a5c750e3c2a5eec2" width="50%"></p><p><strong>Implications for healthcare leaders:</strong> Patients have come to expect options regarding care delivery. Many now prefer virtual care or at least hybrid options, particularly for minor issues that do not require testing or in-person evaluation. Healthcare leaders can help streamline services, redistribute patient volume, and triage care via telemedicine. Hiring locums support or part-time providers who focus strictly on virtual care can improve morale among providers and enhance patient satisfaction.</p><h2>6. The number of nurse practitioners and physician assistants has grown significantly.</h2><p><strong>The trend:</strong> "The ranks of NPs grew by 8.5%, from 355,000 in 2022, to 385,000 licensed NPs in 2023 (<a href="https://www.aanp.org/news-feed/nurse-practitioner-profession-grows-to-385-000-strong#:~:text=The%20ranks%20of%20NPs%20grew,strengthen%20the%20health%20care%20system." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AANP</a>). Further, there are 126,595 physician assistants as of September 2023 (<a href="https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/total-number-of-physician-assistants/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KFF</a>).</p><p><strong>Implications for healthcare leaders:</strong> Nurse practitioners and physician assistants play a vital role in the face of physician shortages. From routine wellness checks to chronic disease monitoring and management, these providers can be critical to a facility's workforce and care strategy. Additionally, leaders can consider how employing specialized APPs can improve care. NP specializations include pediatrics, gerontology, psychiatry, neonatology, family medicine and more. PAs can specialize in gastroenterology, oncology, emergency medicine, pediatrics, orthopedics, and more.</p><h2>7. Physician compensation is up.</h2><p><strong>The trend:</strong> "Physician compensation overall has steadily increased. Supply and demand is the biggest driver…Organizations understand it's not getting any easier to get good candidates" (<a href="https://login.medscape.com/login/sso/getlogin?wcode=102&amp;client=205502&amp;urlCache=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWVkc2NhcGUuY29tL3NsaWRlc2hvdy8yMDIzLWNvbXBlbnNhdGlvbi1vdmVydmlldy02MDE2MzQx&amp;sc=ng&amp;scode=msp#6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Medscape</a>).</p><p><img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2Fec23c65f480b4f8699dc832816bf2973%2Fc5079aa68c68404895bfcd616284b0a9" width="50%"></p><p><strong>Implications for healthcare leaders:</strong> Leaders must find ways to meet the compensation demands needed to secure top-level talent. This means managing labor costs and being thoughtful about workforce decisions. <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/blog/cost-of-locum-tenens?" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bringing in locum tenens support</a> instead of hiring part-time clinicians or paying overtime can be a cost-effective solution to help facilities preserve their bottom line. That way, leaders can allocate resources to invest in permanent, long-term, successful hires.</p><h2>8. AI technology has the potential to transform workforce strategy.</h2><p><strong>The trend:</strong> Healthcare organizations are seeking innovative solutions like artificial intelligence to optimize staffing and increase operational efficiency. They are increasingly turning to staffing agencies that can provide comprehensive workforce solutions that rely on business intelligence and data analytics.</p><p>Implications for healthcare leaders: Leaders can seek forward-thinking partners with innovative tools to streamline the healthcare staffing experience. "Our revolutionary Cross Country vendor management system (VMS) harnesses the power of proprietary AI technology," says <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/using-ai-redefine-workforce-management-healthcare-john-martins-v1v4e/?trackingId=kUuwbDjRR2Kga5aEtkO%2Fog%3D%3D" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">John Martins</a>, President and CEO at Cross Country Healthcare. "This cutting-edge platform tailors personalized recommendations for both our healthcare professionals and clients. By leveraging advanced algorithms, we ensure that the right talent is connected with the right opportunities, optimizing the healthcare staffing experience." Martins adds, "Our VMS takes business intelligence to the next level. Through sophisticated learning services, it delivers actionable real-time insights. Hospitals and healthcare organizations gain access to personalized dashboards with data-driven decision-making, empowering them to respond promptly to market dynamics, staffing needs, and operational challenges."</p><h2>9. Rural areas face ongoing provider shortages.</h2><p><strong>The trend:</strong> "In 2023, 65% of rural areas had a shortage of primary care physicians, according to a report published by the Health Resources and Services Administration" (<a href="https://www.statnews.com/2023/09/25/rural-health-doctor-shortage-physicians/#:~:text=In%202023%2C%2065%25%20of%20rural,Health%20Resources%20and%20Services%20Administration." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">STAT News</a>).</p><p><strong>Implications for healthcare leaders:</strong> To attract and retain talent within rural areas, leaders can highlight the rewards of practicing in <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/blog/attracting-locums-to-rural-areas?" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rural areas</a>, focus on their facility's best features, connect with medical schools that have rural provider programs, and turn to a <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/employers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">staffing agency with a track record</a> of fulfilment in rural areas.</p><h2>10. Billing transparency is paramount.</h2><p><strong>The trend:</strong> New legislation on healthcare cost transparency has made analytics more critical than ever. "The bill, titled Lower Costs, More Transparency, aims to increase price transparency through the healthcare system. Specifically, this new bill requires healthcare price information from hospitals, insurance companies, labs, imaging providers, and ambulatory surgical centers to publicly list the prices they charge patients. It also requires health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to disclose negotiated drug rebates and discounts. The bill also aims to lower drug costs by expanding access to generic drugs" (<a href="https://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/new-house-bill-focuses-on-healthcare-price-transparency" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Managed Healthcare Executive</a>).</p><p><strong>Implications for healthcare leaders:</strong> Leaders can connect with workforce solutions partners that prioritize transparency. Cross Country President and CEO <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/using-ai-redefine-workforce-management-healthcare-john-martins-v1v4e/?trackingId=kUuwbDjRR2Kga5aEtkO%2Fog%3D%3D" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">John Martins</a> says, "Cross Country Data Aggregation Services (DAS) is one of the first in the industry to offer bill rate transparency to help hospitals validate their costs. DAS was founded by data scientists, machine learning engineers, and healthcare veterans to gather anonymized and real-time bill rate ranges to help guide staffing decisions. The proprietary AI algorithms generated by DAS deliver data that is easily consumed and can be integrated into our VMS platform or used as a standalone product. In essence, our AI-powered ecosystem is not just a platform; it's a strategic ally. DAS empowers healthcare clients to make proactive, data-driven decisions."</p><p><br></p>

Healthcare Trends to Keep on Your Radar in 2024