.png?width=458&height=98&name=VIP_ID22_RGB%20(1).png "Vision Integrated Partners logo")
The healthcare industry is continuing to grow and evolve, especially the ophthalmology field. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many areas of healthcare have seen exponential hiring growth year over year. For example, between 2020 and 2022, approximately 450,000 jobs were added to the healthcare industry, and it’s forecasted to continue growing.
Considering these figures, it’s a good time to enter the healthcare field because there are countless opportunities. Let’s take a look at some healthcare industry staffing trends and what Vision Integrated Partners (VIP) is doing to meet these needs.
Post-Pandemic Healthcare Industry Analysis
The healthcare industry has changed since the start of the pandemic. Let’s take a look at some of the top staffing challenges and how VIP is addressing them.
Growth of Healthcare Careers—and Patients
Positions in the healthcare field have increased exponentially, but there is also an increasing number of patients. For example, the baby boomer population is aging, which means the rate of cataract surgeries is also increasing. More and more surgeons and their supporting teams are going to be needed to handle the growing number of people requiring cataract surgery.
However, as the healthcare field evolves, so do we. For example, we broadened our applicant pool to look for those without healthcare experience who had a passion to help people and the culture and personality traits we knew would be a great fit for our team. We knew it started from the heart first by finding people with the right personality and attitude, and we could provide training to help them be successful.
We’re committed to continuous improvement and welcome process improvements. We regularly evaluate our processes, and when we see improvements that we need to make or our team members have suggestions for what we can do better, we’re proactive to make real change. Our teams always keep an eye on trends to make sure we’re evolving and never staying stagnant.
Staff Burnout
Even with thousands of jobs being added since 2020, there is still a demand for additional healthcare workers due to the increasing need for healthcare services. The increasing demand for healthcare and the reduced amount of staff to treat the influx of patients has led to staff exhaustion and burnout after three years of COVID-19. Wait times may be longer in some facilities, patients need treatment, and administrative workloads and paperwork have greatly increased.
We’re constantly on the lookout for top talent to join our teams across the country in our ambulatory surgery centers and medical practices and on our management teams. Along with broadening our applicant pool to include those without healthcare experience, we’re always reassessing salaries and benefits to meet the needs of our team members.
Our team members are like our second family. We’ve been committed to them since before the pandemic, during, and after. Throughout all of this, we’ve been dedicated to making sure they had what they needed.
For example, even though some of our medical practices were unable to be open during the pandemic, we continued investing in our employees and their healthcare by keeping their benefits active. Additionally, we make sure our employees have a good work/life balance to spend time with their families by providing our employees with paid time off, holidays off, and little to no evenings or weekends.
Healthcare Equity
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted healthcare inequities among diverse populations arising from the unequal distribution of health resources, lack of access to healthcare, and gaps in the quality of healthcare across different ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups.
Healthcare services based on specific demographics provide patients with directed care for health conditions and personalized care in an accepting, safe environment. These services are often with healthcare providers in the same demographic.
Not only do healthcare organizations need to focus on diversity and inclusion to better serve the needs of the entire population in their region, but they also need to expand recruitment efforts to recruit a wider range of diverse candidates.
At VIP, we have a diverse and inclusive culture. Our team members come from diverse backgrounds, and we’re committed to continuing to build an inclusive culture.
Start a Rewarding Career in Ophthalmology Today
At VIP, we stay on top of current healthcare industry analysis to make sure we’re meeting the needs of our team members and patients. Interested in starting a rewarding career in ophthalmology? VIP is always on the lookout for top talent to join our team.
We’re actively hiring across the country for our ambulatory surgery centers, medical practices, and management teams. Get your free guide to a rewarding career with our healthcare staffing primer, then explore our open positions and apply today to join our team!
