The healthcare industry has grown significantly during the pandemic, which added new challenges in meeting its recruitment needs. Here, we witnessed a shift towards new healthcare staffing trends which will be even more prominent in the coming years.
The healthcare industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world today. Back in 2016, according to forecasts, it was projected that between the years 2012 and 2022, the healthcare industry would grow at a slower rate as compared to other industries. However, with the sudden pandemic in 2020, the entire dynamics of the healthcare industry changed globally, making it the utmost priority of governments across the world to augment capacities, technologies, and healthcare support staff urgently.
Healthcare trends 2022
One of the most evident shifts in the healthcare industry since the pandemic is the dependency on remote healthcare. Given this increased demand for effective remote diagnosis and care, some of the key healthcare trends for 2022 are mentioned below.
Telehealth
The dependency on telehealth post-pandemic has been on the rise globally. This is because there was significant hesitation among people to step outside their houses to seek medical advice and support. Digital technologies and platforms made it possible to seek medical support and advice virtually, allowing at-risk groups such as elderly persons to access healthcare assistance on time.
It effectively reduced physical interactions between patients, which was a top priority. Moreover, it also increased the use of online or telemedicine facilities that deliver prescribed medicines right at your doorstep. Hence, telehealth will remain as the go-to option for everyone as it is fast, efficient and highly convenient for one and all.
Other than this, it is expected that online healthcare facilities will increase their functionality by adding additional resources and expanding the scope of technologies in their operations. As per studies, along with fitness applications available today, there will be additional data security for electronic health recordings as well as augmented reality implementation for quality care in the next few years for the healthcare industry.
Healthcare staffing trends 2022
The pandemic completely changed the way hospitals and medical facilities responded to different medical crises as the focus increased on curbing the spread of the virus along with treating other diseases and providing critical care. The surge of cases and the need to keep a proper check on all pandemic hit patients, in turn, increased the demand for nurses. Additionally, against the traditional method of hiring and recruiting medical staff, due to the spread of coronavirus, the healthcare industry also used technology to fulfil staffing requirements. Let us discuss some of the top healthcare staffing trends predicted for 2022 below.
Virtual recruitment
As mentioned before, technology has played the role of a key facilitator for almost all industries in the post-pandemic period to help them resume operations slowly but successfully. The healthcare industry is no exception and similar to other industries, it also took up virtual recruitment as the convenient route to fill the gaps in employment with the healthcare facilities.
Even though medical staff recruitment required face-to-face interviews and discussions to test the individual knowledge of candidates, it was not feasible during the COVID-19 outbreak. Hence, for basic staffing roles, virtual recruitment has become the most efficient method to employ the required workforce and the same is predicted to continue for the next few years as it is more efficient as a hiring process, reducing both time and costs for healthcare organizations.
Hiring technically skilled candidates
Another important potential trend for healthcare staffing in 2022 is the need for more data-driven recruitment and seeking talent with certain technical skills. In simpler words, healthcare facilities are now looking for recruits who are more adjustable and accommodating in adopting different technologies as part of their roles and responsibilities.
For instance, the right technology to reduce the time spent in diagnosis is one of the key qualities that recruiters worldwide in the healthcare industry are looking for. This is important, as gradually, all industries are switching to cloud software, artificial intelligence and machine learning-driven databases to reduce the hassle of data storage and compliance. The need of the hour is to hire healthcare staff who can easily adapt with advancements in technology.
Traveling nurses
Lastly, another interesting healthcare staffing trend for 2022 is the increasing demand for travel nurses, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to studies, as soon as the healthcare system worldwide faced the pandemic, they identified a sudden shortage of nurses that were necessary to keep a check on the patients at all times. During these difficult times, travel nurses from nearby facilities and areas were sent for support.
Therefore, it is believed that in 2022, the shift in the market will be around the increasing demands for nurses, especially traveling nurses who worked as frontline caretakers during the pandemic.
Improving retention strategies
Some key strategies that healthcare facilities and hospitals can adopt to improve retention include:
- Scale down capacity for non-essential medical treatments to limit staff visits to the facility. This allows employees to feel safer and more valued, given the difficult circumstances and the need for rigorous safety measures.
- Provide medical staff with additional support to continue working. This includes all social parameters like transportation, housing support, family support when needed, etc. This is because it acts as a motivating factor for the healthcare staff to continue working with the organization.
- Offer additional support in terms of non-monetary benefits for the healthcare staff to encourage them and make them feel important and essential to your organization and its mission.
To conclude, the healthcare industry is constantly adopting a variety of technologies and digitally-enabled processes within their day-to-day operations to enhance the patient experience. It is expected that in the next few years, artificial intelligence and big data are the two major advancements that will further help the healthcare industry evolve its diagnosis methods, treatment effectiveness, and patient care. The right talent and the right hiring strategies will help organizations leverage these technologies to their full extent and improve the delivery of services.
VBeyond Corporation can help you with your staffing needs to ensure uninterrupted and sustainable growth for your business.
