Even before the pandemic, the nation’s hospitals, urgent care facilities, medical groups and physician practices were suffering from widespread shortages of healthcare professionals. The problem still exists particularly with nurses. Now industry innovators are offering a solution to this pervasive problem – remote clinicians performing a wide range of routine tasks. One such innovator is Amalgamated Medical Care Management (AMCM). Last year, AMCM launched its Clinical Advantage Remote Engagement Solutions (CARES). At the time, AMCM President Deborah Allwes Largoza, RN, MBA, MPH expanded on the nursing shortage.
“Today’s nursing shortage is seriously compromising patient care and causing many nurses to leave their positions due to their inability to provide the highest level of care for their patients. This problem is not expected to be solved any time soon and likely to be exacerbated by our nation’s increasing senior population,” said Largoza.
In fact, McKinsey & Co. reported that the demand for Registered Nurses (RNs) is likely to reach 3.6 million by 2030. This coincides with the graying of America which the latest U.S. Census data shows will be over 56 million adults ages 65 and older with projections to rise to over 73.1 million by 2030.
Addressing the Labor Shortage with Remote Clinicians
The CARES program gives healthcare provides grappling with shortages of RNs and medical assistants (MAs) access to remote services provided by U.S. based clinicians available 24/7. Among the services provided by these licensed professionals, are monitoring of patient electronic medical records (EMRs) for incoming messages, reviewing lab results with patients, processing medication refills, scheduling appointments, managing pending orders, and triaging patients. Remote clinical nurses can also complete telephonic assessments, provide clinical advice using established symptom-based protocols and evidence-based guidelines, and provide patient referrals to specialists and community resources, as well as telephonic patient education and counseling on a wide range of health and wellness topics.
Benefitting from CARES is effortless with its convenient onboarding process for RNs and MAs working remotely. AMCM’s leading-edge technologies enable healthcare providers to easily connect with CARES remote RNs and MAs directly through their EMR system. CARES’ RNs and MAs can seamlessly be integrated into a hospital’s physician practice or other healthcare provider’s onsite staff to the extent desired. Further, RNs with specialized training, education, and certifications can provide their support to specialty clinics nationwide.
Governments Also Taking Measures
Across the country, state officials are taking steps to help address the healthcare labor shortages. They are easing licensing requirements and expanding training programs. These measures, coupled with options like remote clinicians, are helping to address this critical problem.