Healthcare personnel shortages have been a hot topic, especially during the pandemic and in the years that have followed.
A recent Mercer report projected a shortage of roughly 100,000 critical health care workers in the next four years. The same report cited alarming statistics regarding projected nursing assistant shortfalls.
Medical staffing shortages have been especially front and center for Polk County, which saw its population explode by roughly 56,000 in 2022 and 2023 alone. That’s why we decided to use this edition of Central Florida Health News to explore what our local healthcare facilities are doing to head off a crisis. Inside, you can learn how recruiters from across the county are sweetening the deal to attract new employees while committing to new tactics to retain current staff.
Florida Southern College is going one step further by adapting its offerings to the changing needs of health care with the creation of a new program for nurses to get a master’s in mental health. Dr. Laly Joseph, Dean and Professor at the School of Nursing, says the move is a response to the surge in demand for mental health services in the U.S.
As we head not only into the holidays but also into the peak of flu season, test your smarts with our Pop Quiz to find out just how prepared you are.
On behalf of the Polk County Medical Association, I’d like to wish you a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season.