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Healthcare and social assistance jobs are projected to be the fastest and largest growing industry sector over the next 10 years, increasing by 1% each year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Becker’s Hospital Review reports that this adds up to 23.8 million healthcare-related jobs by 2033.
Impact on the OR
What’s driving the growth? An aging population, especially the rates of chronic conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Here’s how that may impact the OR:
- According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1.7 million people are diagnosed with cancer every year. The Annals of Surgical Oncology reports that globally, 80% of new cancer cases will require surgery by 2030 — some requiring multiple surgeries.
- Approximately 38 million people have diabetes, and another 98 million have prediabetes (CDC). Medscape says that about 25% of diabetes patients will require surgery in their lifetime.
- Annually, more than one in three Americans die from heart disease and stroke (CDC). While the number of heart surgeries varies each year, Cleveland Clinic reveals that in 2018, close to half a million Americans had heart surgery, with the most common procedures being coronary artery bypass grafting and valve surgeries (minimally invasive valve repair procedures not included).
Because of this, the surgical market in the U.S. is estimated to be valued at roughly $1.5 trillion dollars by 2033, according to Precedence Research. The surgical market was valued at around $830 billion just last year.
Healthcare Worker Shortfall Predicted
But even though healthcare jobs are poised to grow, supply is not expected to meet demand. In fact, based on data from Mercer, Becker’s Hospital Review warns that there will be a shortfall of 100,000 healthcare workers by 2028. The states projected to have the greatest deficit of workers includes New York, New Jersey, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Georgia.
Due to this discrepancy, permanent workers may be harder to find, especially in more rural areas. Post-pandemic stress has already taken a significant toll on the healthcare workforce; the American Hospital Association (AHA) reports that hospital employment is down by 94,000 workers since February 2020. Between 2019 and 2020, job vacancies for nurses and respiratory therapists increased by 30%, and staff turnover related to the demands of treating COVID-19 has reached up to 30% for some departments.
Find Support for Your OR
If your hospital needs perfusionists, ECMO specialists, neurophysiologists, sterile processing technicians, and other professionals who support the OR and help make surgery safer, get in touch with us today. Our highly trained clinicians and technicians integrate into your teams to increase safety and efficiency while upholding standards of excellence. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you meet your patient care needs both now and in the future!
