Idaho Business for Education (IBE) released a report on the worker shortage negatively impacting health care systems in Idaho, following a summit IBE held to find ways to address the problem.
“This report explains why we have a worker shortage, the depth of that shortage and recommends ways we can address it,” said Rod Gramer, president of Idaho Business for Education. “But most importantly the report shows that it can be solved if we have the will to act.”
The report suggests having a working group of leaders in health care and education implement the recommendations. “It would be tragic if we do not take the good work of the summit participants and let their recommendations languish on a shelf,” Gramer said.
In June, just before the summit’s convening, Idaho had 9,000 unfilled health care job positions. Number one was a shortage of registered nurses with 1,600 openings.
One of Idaho’s largest health care systems had 2,000 openings. One of the state’s largest stand-alone hospitals had 700 openings, 400 were for nurses. Idaho hospitals are relying on “traveling” nurses who contract with the hospital to fill staffing gaps.
