February 20, 2023 – Mark Keroack, MD, president and CEO of Baystate Health, wrote an op-ed for Mass Live discussing the staffing shortages that hospitals are currently facing. Dr. Keroack cited a Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association survey that estimated there are 19,000 full-time job vacancies across Massachusetts acute care hospitals. Baystate Health itself has about 1,650 total open positions, more than double the organization’s pre-pandemic state.
“The driving forces for this shortage existed before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has only accelerated those conditions,” Dr. Keroack wrote. “Baystate Health identified concerns with shortages in key staff categories as early as 2016 and forecasted a worsening as a larger portion of its workforce aged into retirement and patient demand increased due to an aging population in Western Massachusetts.”
This is an industry-wide issue that was only exacerbated by the challenges of COVID-19. Nurses and other healthcare professionals are constantly striking for better pay and more flexible hours. As for Baystate Health, Dr. Keroack wrote that they are focused on strengthening pipelines for new trainees and new employees.