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Hospital execs cite shortage of doctors, nurses, AMN survey finds

December 13, 2013

Hospital executives report a continued shortage of physicians, nurses and advanced practitioners, according to the 2013 Clinical Workforce Survey released by AMN Healthcare Services Inc. (NYSE: AHS). The survey found 78 percent of hospital executives believe there is a shortage of physicians nationwide, 66 percent believe there is a shortage of nurses, and 50 percent believe there is a shortage of advanced practitioners.

Hospital executives reported a 17.6 percent vacancy rate for physicians at their facilities in 2013, compared to a 10.7 percent vacancy rate in AMNs 2009 survey. And nurse vacancies rose to 17 percent in 2013 from 5.5 percent in the survey conducted four years ago. The vacancy rate reported for allied professionals also showed significant growth, rising to 13.3 percent in 2013 from 4.6 percent in 2009.

“Change in healthcare is a continuous evolution, but the one constant is people,” said AMN President and CEO Susan Salka. “No matter what models of care are in place, it takes physicians, nurses and other clinicians to provide quality patient care, and the fact is we simply do not have enough of them.”

More than 70 percent rated the staffing of physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants as a high priority in 2013, up significantly from 24 percent of hospital executives who rated staffing these professionals as a high priority in AMN Healthcare’s 2009 workforce survey.  

The emailed survey was conducted in June 2013. Respondents included 166 hospital CEOs, CFOs and others.