Community health centers are essential for delivering health services to medically underserved populations. 

Community health centers are essential for delivering health services to medically underserved populations. <a href="https://www.nachc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Americas-Health-Centers-2022_final.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">According to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC)</a>, health centers serve as the healthcare home for over 30 million patients, or one out of every 11 people in the United States.<a href="https://www.nachc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Americas-Health-Centers-2022_final.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">With over 14,000 locations throughout the country</a>, community health centers play a vital role in providing access to quality healthcare for millions of underserved Americans. They deliver primary care and other health services to rural areas where healthcare options are limited and cause residents to travel great distances to receive treatment.For all the benefits these federally funded organizations provide, there are challenges with keeping them running efficiently, and one of the biggest is finding enough staff to provide necessary care to their patients.<h2>Staffing Challenges Put Patients at Risk</h2>Staffing remains a significant barrier to growth and the ability to serve patients. A recent <a href="https://www.nachc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/NACHC-2022-Workforce-Survey-Full-Report-1.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NACHC study</a> found health centers experience unprecedented rates of workforce loss.<ul><li>68% of health centers reported losing 5-25% of their workforce in the last six months, and 15% reported losing 25-50%.</li><li>Nurses represent the highest-ranked category of workforce loss, followed by administrative staff, behavioral health staff, dental staff and more.</li></ul>Part of the challenge is that community health centers are often located in rural areas where it’s harder to recruit new job candidates. Urban and suburban areas are typically more attractive to clinical providers for a variety of reasons, including more activities and better housing options.Complicating the issue is the fact there are fewer clinicians overall, as fewer people are going to medical school to replace retiring doctors and nurses. A recent report indicates there will be a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/press-releases/aamc-report-reinforces-mounting-physician-shortage" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">significant shortage of physicians by 2034</a>. Another indicates there will be a <a href="https://www.gohealthcarellc.com/blog/the-nursing-shortage-in-america-is-a-true-crisis#:~:text=The%20lack%20of%20nurses%20in,shortage%20of%20nearly%20200%2C000%20RNs." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nursing shortage of nearly 200,000 RNs by 2025</a>.But the major issue is pay. Community health centers do not have the resources to offer the same competitive salary and benefits packages as larger facilities and systems, and that is often a determining factor for young doctors—especially those carrying hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans. Community health centers are mission-driven, and while there is emotional satisfaction in helping less fortunate people in rural areas, the truth is rural facilities just can’t compete with the financial incentives urban facilities are paying.Community health centers are, and will remain, an important part of the U.S. healthcare system. They must seek new partnerships to ensure staffing to meet these challenges. Cross Country Workforce Solutions Group has been providing <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/wsg/staffing-solutions" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">staffing solutions</a> to our community healthcare partners for over 20 years. <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/wsg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Contact us to find out how we can help</a>.

Staffing Challenges at Community Health Centers