There is an increasing number of job openings in the industry as there are not enough healthcare professionals to meet the demand for services in Alaska.
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At a meeting on Monday, representatives of three medical institutions discussed the state’s labor shortage. Jared Kosin, president and CEO of the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association (ASHNHA), said the association has asked Rain Coast Data to carry out health care worker statistics. analysis Of the industry. The report was completed in November 2021 and showed some trends.
According to the report, Alaskan health workers earned $ 2.7 billion in 2019, accounting for 11 percent of the state’s total wages. The industry is expected to see a 7.6% increase in employment over the next decade and 5,000 new jobs, more than any other sector.
“These are high-paying jobs,” Kosin said. “On average, you see a wage of $ 65,744. Healthcare jobs are well rewarded because they create a career. The problem is simply that not enough people are in the workforce. That is, employment demand in Alaska far exceeds supply. “
There are 6,300 jobs in the industry each year, and Koshin said more than 1,400 new employees are needed each year just to get a registered nurse job. The hospital is the largest health care employer in Alaska and employs 35 percent of the total health workforce. The registered nurse is in a dominant position and receives 18 percent of all medical wages. However, employers often have to hire workers from other states to fill their healthcare positions.
“You have to do,” Koshin said. “There are not enough people in the state.”
Non-residents account for 11.3% of the state’s medical services, and 21% of major hospital and nursing home positions are vacant. However, non-residents often end up leaving the state, and employers need to focus on developing talent from local pools.
“The point you need to know is to develop a talent pipeline for healthcare professionals, which is one of the best investments we can make for Alaska,” he said. .. “Our pipeline isn’t showing very serious performance, so we can only really rise. We’re so bad right now that we can only improve. The challenges are immeasurable. It’s been years. It was a problem for a while. “
Shelley Ebenal is the CEO of Foundation Health Partners, Fairbanks’ largest employer. She also faces labor challenges as she currently has 192 positions unfilled. Employee turnover is the highest in the last 20 years, at 30%, she said.
“There is no depth in the talent pool,” Evenal said. “When employees leave, we’re in trouble. Bringing people in from the outside is a great solution unless they stay. It’s really hard to adopt.”
Preston Simmons is the CEO of Providence Alaska, the state’s largest employer, serving four different jurisdictions within the state. He said Providence is currently seeing 25% fewer applicants than in 2019. The vacancy rate is 16.7%, and there are 782 job offers.
“Currently, the workforce challenge is the most difficult I’ve ever seen,” Simmons said. “We can’t keep up with the vacancies. We have fewer applicants than before COVID. Much of the industry is burned out.”
The lack of available housing also poses a challenge to maintaining the workforce, Simmons said.
“In Kodiak, there were 10 individuals brought into the community. [to work]But they couldn’t find a house and had to leave, “he said.
According to Simmons, Providence officials are trying to strengthen the workforce by strengthening engagement and maintenance efforts. Thousands of dollars are paid for referrals to new employees, and staff are reviewing and recommending changes to wages for high turnover roles.
“We need to invest more in colleges, schools and basic education,” Simmons said. “We have created a medical assistant apprenticeship program. We have created several certified nursing pop-up programs. We are about to be innovative. We have created a community medical program. We have also created an addiction fellowship program. “
