The 2008 presidential election will be dominated by health care, which is a topic that has been rising in cost and the fact there are more than 40 million Americans without health insurance.
The U.S. continues to grow in population, while the 65-plus age group is growing quickly. The demand for healthcare services is expected to rise. However, many industry professionals wonder if there will be enough staff to provide the care needed.
The general label covers a significant portion of the health workforce. “allied health.”Many of the hospital’s patient care is provided by allied medical personnel. These professionals not only work in hospitals but in a variety of health care settings.
Although a significant proportion of hospital care is provided with laboratory tests, medical technologists are facing a staff shortage. According to the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions also known as ASAHP, this shortage is even worse than the national nursing shortage.
In some cases, the issue could stem from a lack of qualified applicants who are unable to gain admission at colleges and universities. According to a recent ASAHP analysis of 87 member institutions it has been found that enrollment capacity is not being reached in many allied healthcare programs for the seventh consecutive year.
Classes that began in fall 2006 were not filled by students in 17 of 19 professions. Even though there are plenty of qualified applicants, not everyone may be accepted because there is not enough faculty available to teach them. A aging workforce could make matters worse, with many retiring and reducing their ranks.
To address these issues, ASAHP has partnered with national organizations to develop legislation known as S. 605, The Allied Health Reinvestment Act of 2007 (S. 605). This bill will address the problems of allied workers.
The organization warns that if nothing is done quickly, there will be an alarming rise in adverse events that could affect patients due to a shortage of allied healthcare caregivers.
For more information, please visit www.asahp.org.
