Shortages All Around: The Implications of Staff Shortages and Rural Hospital Closures on Access to Care
Staffing shortages are not new. For years, the industry has been predicting a shortage of physicians and nurses, particularly in rural areas, and there have been calls to expand scope of practice for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and pharmacists as a result. Enter COVID-19, and staffing shortages accelerated. Physicians, nurses, and other care providers began exiting the job market because of insufficient resources and burnout.