Hospitals and health systems have been facing financial pressures, with many experiencing negative operating margins. Workforce pressures in 2022, including staffing shortages and higher costs, have impacted the bottom line. Part of the problem for hospitals was a higher reliance on contract workers during the COVID-19 pandemic for specific specialties. 

“Hospitals need to take both long- and short-term measures to address critical workforce issues so they can continue to provide safe, high-quality care now and in the future,” Deborah J. Bowen, FACHE, CAE, president and CEO of ACHE, said in a statement. “Longer-term solutions include strengthening the workforce pipeline through creative partnerships, such as those with colleges to grow the number of nurses and technicians. More immediate solutions include supporting and developing all staff, building staff resilience, organizing services to reflect the realities of the labor market and exploring alternative models of care.”

Behind workforce issues, hospital executives ranked financial challenges as the second biggest issue, and behavioral health/addiction issues ranked third. The latest survey marked the second year in a row that workforce issues ranked as top of mind for executives. Prior to the last two years, financial challenges ranked first in the survey for 16 consecutive years.

The survey queried 1,321 community hospital CEOs who are members and garnered 281 responses, or 21%. According to ACHE, the issues cited by survey respondents are those of immediate concern and do not necessarily reflect ongoing hospital priorities.