How Hospitals Are Battling Shortages in Staffing, Supply-Chain
Like virtually every other business, hospitals are contending with unusual cost and operational pressures. According to recent data released this month by health management consulting firm Kaufman Hall, hospitals and health systems are spending 19% more on drugs, 18% more on supplies and 21% more on labor compared to two years ago. A great many are also facing persistent workforce, supply-chain and other economic concerns. Hospitals “are really suffering from a lot of instability – both operational and financially,” said Michelle Hood, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the American Hospital Association, during a recent webinar hosted by U.S. News & World Report. The cost to care for patients increased some 20% overall on a per-patient basis when compared to pre-pandemic levels, she said, and labor costs jumped about just as much from 2019 to 2021.