Report on Resolving Primary Healthcare Providers Shortage

Report on Resolving Primary Healthcare Providers Shortage NameInstitutional AffiliationDate
Executive Summary
The shortage of primary healthcare providers affects the healthcare industry and the individual healthcare organizations. Resolving this issue requires the consideration of the strategies that are already in place and identifying gaps to resolve the issue.
This reports offers a number of recommendations on resolving the shortage issue in the healthcare industry. The strategies proposed in this report are mainly focused on improving the current working environment of the nursing practitioners and the physicians. Improving the current working environment is likely to motivate the nurses and improve the entry of other primary care providers into the field.
The report also emphasizes on the need for policy reform in the healthcare sector. Some of the existing healthcare policies are not implemented appropriately. The primary care leaders are tasked with the responsibility of identifying and developing the team to make sure they are prepared to face any future challenges.
Background Information
The shortage of primary healthcare providers still remains a major challenge in the US. This shortage of the practitioners has also led further to a decrease of nurses in the healthcare industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the nursing profession is one of those field that are expected to experience a significant job growth by the year 2026CITATION USB19 \l 1033 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019). The Bureau also projected the need for an additional 237,000 new RNs each year to meet the projected job growth.
The shortage means that the remaining nurses need to work extra hard to meet the shortage of other healthcare providers. Insufficient staffing is a major cause of dissatisfaction n the nursing field as the available nurses are complaining of overworking, something that has also increased the turnover rate.
The shortage of primary healthcare providers has also impacted patient outcomes. As researchers Linda et al (2017) point out in their research, the presence of skilled nurses at the bedside of the patient to offer them care can significantly increase the patient outcome CITATION Lin17 \l 1033 (Linda, et al., 2017). In another research conducted, it was found out that 75% of the nurses feel that the shortage of primary healthcare providers has a great impact on their life. This involves aspects such as the way they deliver healthcare services and the amount of time that each of the nurses can spend with the patient CITATION Bue17 \l 1033 (Buerhaus, Skinner, Auerbach, & Staiger, 2017). Most of the nurses involved in the research also pointed out that the shortage of primary healthcare providers was a major issue making most of the nurses to consider leaving their profession due to increased stress level.
Statement of the Need
Currently, it is approximated that 13% of all US patients live in an area where there is a shortage of primary healthcare. This shortage means having less than one primary healthcare provider per 2,000 patientsCITATION USB19 \l 1033 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019). This problem is more rampant in both the urban and the rural areas though it is more common in the rural areas. It is also approximated that about a third of the primary healthcare providers who are practicing today will have retired by 2025 since they will be above 65 yearsCITATION USB19 \l 1033 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019).
Reducing the above shortage of primary healthcare providers will play a major role in improving the satisfaction and nurse retention in our healthcare facilities. It is also important to note that the ‘shortage of the primary healthcare providers’ does not necessarily mean the numbers. It does not necessarily mean the shortage of the nurses with qualifications. The nursing shortage problems means the shortage of nurses who are willing to work in the prevailing conditions. Therefore, it is very important to make sure that focus is laid on the strategies that are intended to motivate the available nurses.
The nurse leaders in different healthcare facilities are often challenged with ways of motivating the available nursing practitioners and physicians to reduce their turnover rate. The nursing leaders who can find the appropriate strategies of reducing the nursing shortage will reduce some of the costs incurred and increase their revenues. In this case, the nursing leaders in different healthcare facilities need to find the appropriate strategies of motivating their staff CITATION Buc08 \l 1033 (Buchan & Aiken, 2008). The provision of better healthcare to the patients gives the impression of a healthier community.
The existence of gender-based discrimination in many countries is another cause of the shortage. In most countries, the nursing profession is viewed as a low-grade job position associated with women only. In many countries, there is violence against the nurses where the government itself comes up with policies that end up demotivating the nurses. Other policies that are intended to benefit the nurses have also not been implemented. This has led to a reduction on the number of people who are willing to work in the healthcare sector.
Proposed Plan
As pointed out earlier, most of the strategies proposed in this report are intended to motivate the available primary healthcare providers and attract more people to join the field. The plan will also be evaluated against the objectives and goals discussed to make sure it is effective.
Goals and Objectives
* To provide improved the retention rate of primary healthcare providers in healthcare facilities
* To make sure there is excellent healthcare delivery to the patients
* Resolve the shortage of nurses problem
Plans and Activities
Improving Recruitment and Retention
The first step towards tackling the challenge is making sure there is an improvement on the recruitment process for the nursing practitioners and physicians. Research also points out that primary healthcare providers are attracted and willing to work in an environment where they are given the opportunity to develop in a professional way and participate in decision making. The HR department in the different healthcare facilities should come up with ways of involving physicians and NPs in the implementation of the different healthcare reforms within the facility. This can involve being flexible in their recruitment. The implementation of regular training program will retain some of the healthcare providers. The HR department should carry out an analysis to identify the skills that are lacking in its staff and recommend relevant training programs. The nurse leaders can convene a meeting with the juniors to understand their issues and look out for ways of addressing them.
In some countries, they have developed a recruitme...