The American Hospital Association (AHA) has raised concerns about the growing pressures on the healthcare workforce, which have resulted in a crisis involving short-term staffing shortages and an unfulfilled talent pipeline. This situation is expected to lead to significant shortages of physicians, as well as allied health and behavioral health care providers. The AHA emphasized the importance of having a diverse healthcare workforce during a hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
According to AHA, a diverse workforce can better understand and address the cultural, social, and health needs of local patient populations, leading to improved decision-making and better outcomes for patients. However, the representation of people of color in health professions is currently low. To address this issue, AHA urged the Senate to pass legislation aimed at increasing workforce diversity in health care and reducing attrition rates.
One such piece of legislation that AHA supported is the Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act (S. 2415). This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize federal support for state-based maternal mortality review committees, which work to identify causes of maternal mortality and make recommendations to prevent future deaths. The hearing also featured testimony from various individuals including Sen. Laphonza Butler, Rep. Michael Burgess, healthcare professionals Yolanda Lawson, Samuel Cook, Michael Galvez, Jaines Andrades, and Brian Stone. Each brought their unique perspectives and experiences to the discussion on how to address the workforce challenges facing the healthcare industry.
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