According to a study that happened to be conducted by analytics firm GlobalData, the healthcare industry is still facing the present challenge of a shortage of professionals with essential information technology expertise as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns.
The survey puts forth the persistent hurdles that providers go on to face within the healthcare sector. The insights from 114 professionals happened to be recorded in the survey.
Despite a demand that’s growing for professionals who happen to have strong technical skills, the study highlighted the consistent shortage of individuals who happen to have digital skills that are of utmost need.
Out of the respondents who participated in the survey, 43% went on to identify the primary hurdle as the lack of specialized skills as well as talents. The concern of insufficient funding was followed by organizational silos, with percentages of 40% and 36%, respectively.
As per the report, a major obstacle to digital growth in healthcare since 2020 has been the usual and consistent lack of specialized skills as well as talents. The dearth of tech-savvy professionals has indeed become more problematic due to the accelerated pace of digital transformation and increased dependence on technology.
Despite the growing prominence of AI-based solutions, the majority of healthcare workers lack direct experience when it comes to these technologies.
Furthermore, the aftermath of the pandemic has gone on to have a swift transition towards remote as well as hybrid workstyles, thereby growing the demand for employees who happen to be proficient in digital skills.
Why It Matters
Nurses are at present making use of AI and automation, thereby optimizing electronic health records- EHR, executing telehealth, and also utilizing remote monitoring so as to effectively address staffing shortages as well as prevent burnout.
Early discharge programs can effectively go on to address staffing shortages as well as capacity concerns by enabling patients to be observed in a virtual way from the comfort of their homes.
The report also puts forth the importance of not solely depending on attracting new talent, but at the same time also emphasizes the significance of upskilling and reskilling employees as essential solutions so as to address workforce gaps.
Making sure of retention and longevity within the healthcare workforce is crucial, and this can be taken care of by modifying education methods as well as permitting employees to be more innovative in terms of career flexibility.
The larger trend
In March 2023, Nuance Communications, which happens to be backed by Microsoft, launched an AI-documentation tool that aims to alleviate the workload on healthcare providers, who happen to be already facing significant strain.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a major increase in physician burnout, with clinicians often attributing it to the frustration caused by the usability of electronic health records- EHR.
According to a recent report by Accenture, language-based AI happens to have the potential to support or even elevate almost 40% of working hours in the healthcare industry.
In the acute-care setting, virtual nursing along with virtual sitting have the potential to address labor-related issues by enabling remote monitoring of numerous patients.
