AMN Survey: Respiratory Therapists Top List of Most In-Demand Temporary Allied Healthcare Professionals
29 Dezember 2021 - 3:00PM
Business Wire
Respiratory therapists, who are essential to treating COVID-19
patients, top the list of most in-demand temporary allied
healthcare professionals, according to a new survey by AMN
Healthcare, the nation’s leader in healthcare total talent
solutions.
The survey of 159 hospitals, as well as other healthcare
facilities, indicates that 96% have used allied healthcare
professionals of various types to fill temporary assignments during
the last 12 months. Respiratory therapists are most commonly used,
followed by laboratory technologists, radiologic technologists,
physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech
pathologists.
“The widespread use of temporary allied healthcare professionals
signals an emerging shortage of these workers,” said Robin Johnson,
Divisional President with AMN Healthcare. “The same pattern of
labor shortages prevalent in nursing and medicine now are affecting
the allied healthcare professions.”
Number One Employment Sector
Over 22 million people now are employed in healthcare and social
services, the nation’s largest employment sector, the U.S. Census
Bureau reports. Of these, about 60% can be characterized as allied
healthcare professionals, who work in over 80 different job
categories, according to the Association of Schools of Allied
Health Professions (ASAHP).
The survey indicates that 75% of hospitals and other healthcare
facilities currently are seeking temporary allied healthcare
professionals. The primary reason, cited by 73% of facilities
surveyed, is to fill gaps while permanent workers are being sought,
suggesting that allied healthcare professionals are difficult to
find in today’s volatile labor market.
Preventing Worker Burnout
The primary benefit of using temporary allied healthcare
professionals, cited by 71% of facilities surveyed, is to prevent
the burnout of existing staff. Due to COVID-19 and other factors,
burnout and turnover among healthcare workers has escalated in
recent months. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS), 589,000 healthcare workers quit their jobs in September
2021, representing a 35% voluntary attrition rate, a new record.
The survey indicates that many healthcare facilities are using
temporary allied healthcare professionals to alleviate the burden
on their permanent staff and thereby reduce turnover.
Role in Treating COVID-19
Most facilities surveyed (53%) said that temporary allied
healthcare professionals have been either moderately or extremely
involved in treating COVID-19 patients. Some allied healthcare
professionals, such as respiratory therapists and laboratory
technologists, are key parts of COVID-19 treatment teams. The high
demand for radiologic technologists, who operate X-ray, MRI, and
other imaging equipment, suggests that patient utilization of
medical procedures and other services is rising after being
temporarily depressed by the pandemic. Shortages of professionals
could lead to delays in necessary services as demand rises, Johnson
said.
“Without the presence of laboratory technologists, imaging
technologists, and other allied professionals, the tests and data
required to conduct medical procedures and treatments backlogs, and
the entire process can slow to a halt,” Johnson said.
Widespread Acceptance
The survey indicates that temporary allied healthcare
professionals are widely accepted when on assignment. Eighty-three
percent of facilities surveyed indicated that temporary allied
healthcare professionals are accepted by their co-workers, 94% are
accepted by their managers, and 82% are accepted by patients. The
great majority of those surveyed (97%) rated the skill level of
temporary allied healthcare professionals average, good, or
excellent.
For a complete copy of the survey report visit
https://www.amnhealthcare.com/amn-insights/surveys/survey-2021-temporary-allied-staffing-trends/
About AMN Healthcare
AMN Healthcare is the leader and innovator in total talent
solutions for healthcare organizations across the nation. The
Company provides access to the most comprehensive network of
quality healthcare professionals through its innovative recruitment
strategies and breadth of career opportunities. With insights and
expertise, AMN Healthcare helps providers optimize their workforce
to successfully reduce complexity, increase efficiency and improve
patient outcomes. AMN total talent solutions include managed
services programs, clinical and interim healthcare leaders,
temporary staffing, executive search solutions, vendor management
systems, recruitment process outsourcing, predictive modeling,
language interpretation services, revenue cycle solutions,
credentialing and other services. Clients include acute-care
hospitals, community health centers and clinics, physician practice
groups, retail and urgent care centers, home health facilities,
schools and many other healthcare settings. AMN Healthcare is
committed to fostering and maintaining a diverse team that reflects
the communities we serve. Our commitment to the inclusion of many
different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives enables our
innovation and leadership in the healthcare services industry. For
more information about AMN Healthcare, visit
www.amnhealthcare.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211229005045/en/
Media Contact Jim Gogek Corporate Communications AMN
Healthcare (858) 350-3209 Jim.Gogek@amnhealthcare.com
Investor Contact Randle Reece Director, Investor
Relations AMN Healthcare (866) 861-3229
investorrelations@amnhealthcare.com
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