Key Takeaways on Healthcare Staffing Statistics:
By 2037, a shortage of 187,130 full‐time equivalent (FTE) physicians is anticipated.
According to a Mayo Clinic survey, physician burnout affected nearly 63% of physicians in 2021, a significant increase from 44% in 2017 and 38% in 2020.
As of 2023, 28.7% of health care workers and 41% of nurses indicate they intend to leave their jobs within two years.
Adding 1 registered nurse to a healthcare staff is associated with a 1% decrease in patient mortality.
Overall, 59% of healthcare staff cite "Pay" as the reason for leaving their job.
Healthcare Staffing Market Size and Growth
In 2023, the health care industry provided employment to over 17 million people.
A total of 65.1 million health workers contributed to the healthcare industry in 2020.
Projections indicate the global health workforce will expand to 84 million workers by 2030.
From 2020 to 2030, the global health workforce is expected to experience 29% growth.
An annual growth rate of 2.7% in the global health workforce could generate 19 million additional health worker jobs by 2030.
The U.S. healthcare staffing market was valued at USD 20.5 billion in 2022.
Between 2023 and 2030, the U.S. healthcare staffing market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.69%.
The COVID-19 pandemic drove a 25.5% increase in the U.S. healthcare staffing market from 2020 to 2021.
AMN Healthcare saw revenue from nurse and allied staffing solutions rise by 9.3% in 2020 compared to the previous year.
The nursing workforce reached 4,140,550 in 2023.
From 2019 to 2023, the nursing workforce expanded by 4.6%.
The number of nurse practitioners surged by 35.5% between 2019 and 2023.
Licensed practical/vocational nurses saw a decline of 8.4% between 2019 and 2023.
The number of nurse midwives decreased by 2.8% between 2019 and 2023.
Currently, 933,788 physicians are professionally active, with 800,355 specifically classified as patient care practicing physicians.
Over the past five years, medical school enrollment has grown by approximately 6%.
In 2022, the nation's oral health workforce comprised 747,582 workers, representing a 7.3% increase from 696,779 in 2018.
Travel nurse staffing captured a market share of 39.55% in 2022.
The travel nurse staffing sector is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 6.37% during the forecast period.
The Per Diem Nurse Staffing Market was projected at USD 8.5 billion in 2021.
By 2031, the Per Diem Nurse Staffing Market is expected to reach USD 15 billion.
From 2021 to 2031, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the Per Diem Nurse Staffing Market is projected at 5.85%.
Healthcare Workforce Demographics and Trends
Internists and family medicine physicians combined make up almost a quarter of all patient care practicing physicians.
In 2022, physicians had an average age of 51.2 years.
The physician workforce gender distribution stands at 61.1% male and 38.9% female.
Among male physicians, 47% are age 55 and older, while only 30% of female physicians fall into this age category.
Physicians under 40 years old represent less than 17% of all active physicians in 2022.
The racial/ethnic composition of the physician workforce is 7% Hispanic, 62% White (Non-Hispanic), 5% Black or African American (Non-Hispanic), 22% Asian (Non-Hispanic), and 4% Other or Multiple Races (Non-Hispanic).
Approximately 71% of patient care practicing physicians are employed in office-based settings.
Hospital-based employment accounts for approximately 15% of patient care practicing physicians.
From 2019 to 2024, the number of female medical school students grew by 14%.
During the same period (2019-2024), the number of male medical school students declined by over 3%.
Female students comprised 55% of medical school enrollment in the 2023-2024 academic year.
The nursing workforce gender distribution is 12.3% male and 87.7% female.
The average age across the entire nursing workforce is 43.4 years.
Advanced practice registered nurses have an average age of 44.3 years.
Licensed practical/vocational nurses have an average age of 43.1 years.
43% of the nursing workforce is younger than 40 years old.
Full-time nurses earn an annual average salary ranging from $50,000 to $60,000.
Per diem nurses can earn as much as $90,000 to $100,000 annually.
Across different national totals in U.S. healthcare staffing, nonsupervisory roles account for 88%, 69%, and 69%.
Supervisory roles make up 9%, 18%, and 18% across different national totals in U.S. healthcare staffing.
Managers and executives represent 2%, 10%, and 10% across different national totals in U.S. healthcare staffing.
Twenty-three percent (23%) of nurses and allied health workers indicated a preference for telecommuting options.
Financial incentives motivate 90% of healthcare staff to take up their positions.
Healthcare Worker Shortages and Projections
By 2037, a shortage of 187,130 full‐time equivalent (FTE) physicians is anticipated.
The physician shortfall is projected to be between 46,900 to 121,900 physicians by 2032.
Approximately 75 million people reside in primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) as of June 14, 2024.
Dental health HPSAs affect approximately 58 million people as of June 14, 2024.
Mental health HPSAs impact 122 million people as of June 14, 2024.
The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis forecasts a nationwide RN shortage of 6% in 2037.
Nonmetropolitan areas are expected to face a more severe RN shortage of 13% in 2037.
LPN demand is expected to exceed supply, resulting in a projected shortage of 302,440 LPN FTEs (representing a 36% shortage) by 2037.
The 2037 projections for the oral health workforce indicate shortages of (8,100) FTEs for all dentists, (200) for endodontists, (11,860) for general dentists, (360) for oral surgeons, a surplus of 1,090 FTEs for orthodontists, a surplus of 580 FTEs for other dentists, a surplus of 3,180 FTEs for pediatric dentists, a shortage of (530) for periodontists, and a shortage of (29,740) for dental hygienists.
In 2020, the global health worker shortage stood at 15.4 million and is projected to decrease to 10.2 million by 2030.
From 2020 to 2030, the global health workforce shortage is expected to decline by 34%.
Healthcare Professional Burnout and Job Satisfaction
According to a Mayo Clinic survey, physician burnout affected nearly 63% of physicians in 2021, a significant increase from 44% in 2017 and 38% in 2020.
A 2024 survey revealed that 49% of physicians report experiencing burnout and 20% indicate depression, showing a slight improvement from 53% and 23% respectively in 2023.
In a 2022 survey, 45% of RNs and 45% of LPNs reported experiencing burnout feelings at least a few times weekly.
A 2021 survey found that 71% of dentists reported increased burnout since the pandemic began, with 58% experiencing burnout at least a few times per week.
The percentage of physicians who would choose their profession again if given the chance dropped to 57.1% in 2021, down from 72.2% in 2020.
Reasons for Leaving Healthcare Jobs
As of 2023, 28.7% of health care workers and 41% of nurses indicate they intend to leave their jobs within two years.
Overall, 59% of healthcare staff cite "Pay" as the reason for leaving their job.
For individuals younger than 33 years, 66% cite "Pay" as the reason for leaving their job.
For individuals aged 33 years or older, 56% cite "Pay" as the reason for leaving their job.
Among healthcare professionals younger than 33 years, 37% cite "Job satisfaction" as a factor in their decision to leave their position.
For healthcare professionals aged 33 years or older, 30% mention "Job satisfaction" as a reason for leaving their job.
Across all age groups, 32% of healthcare staff identify "Job satisfaction" as a motivating factor for departing from their current position.
Overall, 51% of healthcare staff cite "Lack of opportunities for advancement" as the reason for leaving their job.
For individuals younger than 33 years, 53% cite "Lack of opportunities for advancement" as the reason for leaving their job.
For individuals aged 33 years or older, 51% cite "Lack of opportunities for advancement" as the reason for leaving their job.
Overall, 38% of healthcare staff cite "Workplace environment" as a reason for leaving their job.
For individuals younger than 33 years, 36% cite "Workplace environment" as a reason for leaving their job.
For individuals aged 33 years or older, 39% cite "Workplace environment" as a reason for leaving their job.
Overall, 31% of healthcare staff cite "Lack of support" as a reason for leaving their job.
For individuals younger than 33 years, 26% cite "Lack of support" as a reason for leaving their job.
For individuals aged 33 years or older, 32% cite "Lack of support" as a reason for leaving their job.
Overall, 29% of healthcare staff cite "Lack of acknowledgment/recognition" as a reason for leaving their job.
For individuals younger than 33 years, 28% cite "Lack of acknowledgment/recognition" as a reason for leaving their job.
For individuals aged 33 years or older, 30% cite "Lack of acknowledgment/recognition" as a reason for leaving their job.
Overall, 28% of healthcare staff cite "Work overload/burnout" as a reason for leaving their job.
For individuals younger than 33 years, 26% cite "Work overload/burnout" as a reason for leaving their job.
For individuals aged 33 years or older, 28% cite "Work overload/burnout" as a reason for leaving their job.
Overall, 27% of healthcare staff cite "Stress" as a reason for leaving their job.
For individuals younger than 33 years, 25% cite "Stress" as a reason for leaving their job.
For individuals aged 33 years or older, 27% cite "Stress" as a reason for leaving their job.
Overall, 22% of healthcare staff cite "Other opportunities outside the agency" as a reason for leaving their job.
For individuals younger than 33 years, 31% cite "Other opportunities outside the agency" as a reason for leaving their job.
For individuals aged 33 years or older, 20% cite "Other opportunities outside the agency" as a reason for leaving their job.
Overall, 23% of healthcare staff fall under the "Other" category for reasons for leaving their job.
For individuals younger than 33 years, 24% fall under the "Other" category for reasons for leaving their job.
For individuals aged 33 years or older, 23% fall under the "Other" category for reasons for leaving their job.
In eight research studies on developing countries, nearly 90% emphasized the significance of financial incentives for healthcare staffing retention.
Approximately 85% of research studies in developing countries noted the importance of career development opportunities for healthcare staffing retention.
Eighty percent (80%) of studies in developing countries highlighted effective hospital management as a motivator for healthcare staffing retention.
Around 75% of studies in developing countries mentioned education and training opportunities as having a strong impact on healthcare staffing retention.
Approximately 70% of research studies in developing countries discussed the importance of recognition and appreciation for motivating health workers.
Roughly 75% of studies in developing countries noted that the availability of hospital resources and infrastructure is critical for retaining healthcare staff.
Ninety percent (90%) of healthcare staff take up the job for financial incentives.
Healthcare Staffing Impact on Patient Outcomes
Adding 1 registered nurse to a healthcare staff is associated with a 1% decrease in patient mortality.
Research on nursing assistant staffing reveals that two studies reported an absolute risk increase of 0.4% in mortality for each additional assistant per bed.
Among studies examining physician staffing levels, 7 out of 11 studies demonstrated that higher physician levels corresponded with lower hospital mortality rates.
According to one study, the risk of mortality doubled when physicians were responsible for more than 14 patients compared to situations where physicians cared for fewer than 8 patients.
 | Written by Sean Roy Sean has 20 years in technology space with the past 15 years helping companies incorporate mobile into their technology and communication efforts. In addition to his extensive experience in developing and launching mobile marketing solutions, Sean is an active and respected member of the mobile community. Sean has provided mobile solutions for Vodafone, Twitter, Facebook, and Sky TV.  |
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