The American Hospital Association (AHA) is calling on Congress to provide additional funding to help manage workforce shortages and respond to rising costs of labor and equipment.
In a letter sent last week, the AHA pressed Congress to “immediately distribute” leftover dollars in the Provider Relief Fund (PRF), and asked for an additional $25 billion in funding.
“As part of negotiations surrounding an omnibus budget agreement, we are now in need of additional immediate support from Congress and the Administration in order to continue standing strong and to be able to provide timely access to life-saving health care to your constituents,” the letter stated.
On a Tuesday morning press call, hospital executives made their case to the media.
“Our nation simply does not have enough clinicians to care for patients today, and not enough are in the training pipelines for the future,” said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the AHA, during the call.
Currently, 20% of U.S. hospitals are experiencing “critical staffing shortages,” and more are expected to face such shortages in the coming weeks, he noted. These shortages can lead to delays in patient care and medical complications down the line.
While the PRF has been a “lifeline” for healthcare providers, no distributions have been made to date for expenses related to the Omicron or Delta surges, Pollack added. Meanwhile, trauma, burnout, and behavioral health disorders have risen to “historic levels” among caregivers.
AHA Board of Trustees Chair Wright Lassiter, MHA, president and CEO of the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, said there’s been a 600% increase in staff members at Henry Ford requesting support from employee assistance programs, which help connect employees to counseling and other behavioral health services.
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