If you operate a hospital or medical practice in the United States, chances are your facility is short-staffed at times, if not perpetually. Season illnesses cause providers to be out sick at the same time patient demand rises. Rural medical facilities commonly struggle to recruit and retain qualified medical staff. Additionally, there are not enough new physicians entering the workforce after medical school to replace those who are retiring.

The physician shortage in the U.S. is mounting, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. The country is expected to experience a shortage of 124,000 physicians by 2034, including 48,000 primary care physicians. Indeed, the shortage of medical providers is a growing concern, which, in turn, increases the demand for healthcare workers.

Is your health care practice short-staffed? Look for these tell-tale signs, and be proactive in taking steps to fill physician positions.

1) Frequent errors are being made

Due to overworked medical staff, frequent mistakes are likely to occur. A shortage of help means that providers will rush to accomplish necessary tasks. Small details will fall through the cracks, errors will occur and patient satisfaction will suffer.

Unfortunately, if mistakes are more frequent and serious, such as a medication error or misdiagnosis, legal ramifications may result.

To avoid consistent errors, it may be necessary to redistribute your staff shifts. Prioritize the most critical positions and consider hiring permanent or temporary providers to fill the gaps.

2) Staff members are burned out

Are your providers asking for more days off? Are they short-tempered with coworkers or patients? Do they constantly seem tired? If so, your facility may be dealing with physician burnout.

Burnout can lead to increased turnover, and it may be challenging to find quality providers in this type of work environment. In this case, consider using a high-quality staffing agency for both temporary and long-term hiring. Tinkbird is a valuable resource for filling multiple open positions quickly.

READ: Combatting Physician Burnout in Your Facility

3) Patient complaints are increasing

As your medical staff becomes more overworked, they will have less time to provide quality care to patients. This will become apparent as patients will feel ignored or neglected. In extreme cases, hospital patients may begin to perform tasks themselves, which poses a risk to their safety and quality of care.

Ensuring the well-being of your patients and staff members should be your top priority. You may need to reduce spending in other areas to allow for new hires.

4) Injuries in the workplace are becoming common

When a facility is short-staffed, current employees will struggle to handle the workload. This means they may take on tasks they are not equipped to handle. As a result, more injuries will occur.

Of course, injured staff may be unable to work for a time, causing further staffing shortages. This can also pose legal consequences for your facility.

5) Providers are requesting more help

If an increasing number of providers are asking for assistance, it is worth taking a look at your staffing levels. If they are concerned about not completing tasks or are feeling stressed or overworked, you need to seek solutions.

When your employees are consistently tired, they will be unable to perform their duties effectively, which will reflect poorly on the facility. Realize that your staff is familiar with the current situation, so trust that they understand what is needed to perform their jobs properly.

READ: Ways to Ensure Physician Coverage for Your Facility

Finding quality healthcare providers

All healthcare facilities experience medical provider shortages at some point. It is crucial to recognize the signs that your facility is understaffed so you can take action to rectify the situation.

Taking proactive steps will help ensure that fewer incidents occur, protecting your facility’s reputation as well as ensuring staff and patient safety. If your facility is short-staffed, contact us today.