Labor shortage seen in US healthcare industry
By Rose Palacio
Davao City (28 January) -- The Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) IN Washington, D.C. USA reported the shortage of manpower in the healthcare industry in the United States.
Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Mindanao Field Office Chief, Francis Domingo said that information they gathered from POLO (September 2004) revealed that the reported shortage was not only limited to nurses but including medical assistants, home health aides, medical records and health information technicians.
The US Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) disclosed that an estimated 1.89 million full-fledged registered nurses were placed in year 2000 out of the two-million job orders.
Given these figures, there is approximately a shortage of 110,000 nurse positions that is expected to grow by 12% by the year 2010. If current trend continues, the figure will increase by 28% in year 2020, the USDHHS said.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for other healthcare workers will continue to grow from 2002-2012: 59% for medical assistants; 48% for home health aides; and 47% for medical records and health information technicians.
Meantime, the US Department of Labor and Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) has strengthened alliances with business, education, and workforce leaders to help address the issue on the shortages.
DOLETA has also partnered with employers and education providers in developing skills training which can be used by both the state and local public workforce system. (POEA-Mindanao Field Office/PIA-RPalacio) [top]
