November 6 -12, 2022 marks Allied Health Professionals Week, and we want to take this opportunity to extend a heartfelt Thank You to allied health professionals. We at Freedom Healthcare Staffing feel privileged to work with highly trained, professional, and dedicated allied health professionals who bring their specialized expertise to every challenging assignment. You are integral and indispensable members of our Freedom Healthcare team.
What is an allied health professional?
For readers who may not be familiar with the term, the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions defines allied health professionals as “health professions that are distinct from medicine and nursing.” That definition covers a wide array of occupations from audiologist to veterinary technician, but some of the most in-demand allied health professionals we work with here at Freedom are Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) / Licensed Nursing Assistants (LNA), Surgical Technicians / OR Technicians, Radiology and Imaging Technicians, Medical Lab Technicians, Clinical Lab Technicians, Ultrasound Technologists, Patient Care Technicians (PCT), Respiratory Therapists, and Pharmacy Technicians. Each of those professions plays an essential role in delivering comprehensive health care service to our ultimate clients, the patients we serve.
Growing demand
An often-cited estimate is that allied health professionals as a group currently make up at least 60% percent of the total health care work force, which the American Hospital Association estimates to be around 6 million people in hospital and health systems alone. But as a result of the departure of many health care workers during the pandemic, 85% of health care facilities in a recent survey are now coping with severe shortages of trained people to fill vacant positions.
Whether the open jobs involve direct patient care or specialized technological knowledge to run sophisticated diagnostic equipment, the need for workers is currently acute and is expected to increase over the next few years. The American Hospital Association cites a report estimating a shortage of up to 3.2 million health care workers by 2026. AHA points out that, with a current turnover rate of nearly 28%, the Bureau of Labor Management forecasts a need for 11% more CNAs by 2025, and a 2017 survey by the American society of Clinical Laboratory Science that 7.2% of laboratory technician positions were unfilled. To meet the demand, vocational schools, community colleges, and universities, are stepping up their programs to pump a steady supply of competent allied health professionals into the career pipeline.
Thank You to the Unsung Heroes
Suffice it to say that without a vast army of trained, dedicated people to support them, doctors and nurses would be unable to provide top-notch medical care — or probably provide any care at all. Whether you work out of the spotlight or in the more visible aspects of health care, you deliver vital, irreplaceable services to our nurses and their patients’ day and night, year in and year out. Thank you for all you do. As a show of gratitude, we invite you to enter our Allied Health Appreciation Giveaway for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card.
If you think becoming a travel allied professional might be for you, let’s talk! We’re always looking for highly motivated and clinically sound allied healthcare professionals to join our team. Please contact Linda Hickey, lhickey@freedomhcs.com or (866) 436-0385 ext. 121.