Health care workforce
Strengthening America’s health care workforce
To meet patient needs now and in the future, the United States health care industry must build a larger, more diverse health care workforce with the right experiences, skills, and linguistic capabilities. Kaiser Permanente is committed to working with policymakers to help build that workforce.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on structural challenges facing America's health care system, especially employee shortages and a lack of racial and ethnic diversity. While these challenges existed prior to the pandemic, they intensified during the global health emergency and are expected to grow significantly if unaddressed.
In 2024, approximately 200,000 new nurses are necessary to meet demand nationwide. There is also a critical need for additional physicians, physician assistants, behavioral health practitioners, and other key health care providers.
Over the coming years, the demand for care will only increase. Researchers at the U.S. Census Bureau predict that the nation’s population will grow by almost 80 million people over the next 4 decades. By 2030 more than one-fifth of the American population will be over the age of 65. These trends will require the health care workforce to grow and adapt to ensure all patients receive high-quality care.
As the U.S. population is growing, it is also becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. While some health care professions reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, certain roles, especially physicians, do not reflect the composition of the general population. A comprehensive analysis by the Association of American Medical Colleges reveals that only 12.6% of physicians identified as Black or Hispanic in 2021. This percentage is about a third of what is reflected in the general population.
The health care workforce's limited diversity creates challenges for patients and workers. For patients, having a provider who is from their community or who shares their background can be critical to building trust and maintaining or improving health. For workers, a lack of diversity can lead to feelings of isolation, misunderstanding, and burnout.
40%
of all new jobs between 2022 and 2032 will be in health care1
49%
of physicians reported being burned out2
Only 12.6%
of active physicians are Black or Hispanic3
To strengthen the health care workforce, Kaiser Permanente believes public policy should:
- Increase funding for residency and other clinical training programs
- Promote the use of telehealth and technology to enable more flexible care and scheduling
- Rationalize training requirements to minimize economic burden and enable more people from diverse backgrounds to enter the health professions
- Make it easier for practitioners to get licensed in multiple states through interstate compacts
- Ensure that the diversity of the health care workforce reflects the populations served
- Explore more adaptable and inclusive work schedules
- Bolster the health care workforce by expanding education, training, and fellowship opportunities
1 Health Affairs, 2018
2 Medscape, 2020
3 AAMC, 2021
