This episode features Lexi Kayser, Reporter at Becker's Hospital Review. Here, she discusses how healthcare executives are tackling workforce shortages, several medical schools withdrawing voluntary participation in U.S. News & World Report's popular rankings alleging they interfere with diversity measures, and more.
Summary
Hospitals Offering Perks to Retain Employees Amid Staffing Shortages
Lexi Kayser, a news writer and reporter for Becker's Hospital Review, has been covering the issue of personnel shortages, staffing shortages, and staff burnout in the healthcare industry. Hospitals are turning to creative solutions to retain workers and recruit new ones by offering perks beyond pay.
Perks Beyond Pay
Some of the perks being offered include free childcare, walking trails, gyms, and employee housing. These benefits have become increasingly important as working from home has become more common, giving employees more time to enjoy these amenities.
Investing In Pipelines And Proposed Safe Staffing Ratios
Aside from offering perks, hospitals are also investing in pipelines to generate interest in the healthcare profession. Additionally, five states have proposed safe staffing ratios to ensure that healthcare workers aren't stretched too thin.
Medical Schools Withdraw From US News Rankings
Lexi has also been covering the story of 11 medical schools withdrawing from US News and World Reports rankings. The schools believe that the rankings are not equitable and encourage elitism. Some universities like the University of Chicago are pushing for a conversation so that the rankings can be reflective of current issues and equity.
Impact on Rankings
While it remains to be seen how medical schools pulling out of the US News rankings will affect their rankings, Lexie suggests that as time goes on, we will see the domino effect of who is staying in and who is pulling out of the rankings. Ultimately, the question is if not submitting data will end up having a big impact on where people are ranked.
Note: This is an AI generated transcript, not edited by a staff writer and is solely intended for educational purposes. If you have any questions/concerns, reach out to podcasts@beckershealthcare.com
This episode aired on 03/01/2023 and can be listened here.