News: Poll suggest healthcare staffing shortage could affect quality improvement efforts
May 12, 2011
CDI Strategies - Volume 5, Issue 10
Nearly 500 healthcare quality professionals indicated that staffing shortages could be the biggest issue facing quality initiatives in the US, according to a poll from the American Society for Quality (ASQ) released May 3.
Forty-four percent of respondents indicated shortages in the number of available primary care physicians could impact healthcare quality, 27% indicated nursing and nursing assistant shortages were of concern, and others mentioned shortages in the laboratory profession.
“This trend is real and could have a negative impact on a patient’s experience as heavier demands are placed on the system,” said Joe Fortuna, chair of ASQ’s Healthcare Division, in a press release touting the findings. “That’s why it is imperative that healthcare organizations focus on enhancing their ability to prevent errors, remove waste, and improve the clinical and operational quality of the services they provide.”
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