THA Issues Statement on Workforce Challenges

(Austin, Texas – May 12, 2022) – Today, THA President and CEO John Hawkins issued the following statement regarding health care workforce issues and the hospital industry’s work to address shortages and strain on nurses and other frontline workers.

“Nurses and other frontline workers should be seen and heard. The pandemic brought persistent health care workforce issues front and center, including shortages, equitable pay, workplace safety, burnout and other issues that impact the frontlines.

“These issues are our top priority as the industry recovers from and adjusts to a new health care landscape. Texas hospitals and their workers need resources and real solutions to ensure the state’s health, and we will continue to fight for those.

“Earlier this year, THA launched the Texas Hospital Workforce Taskforce, which brought together partners from across the board – nurses, physicians, behavioral health providers, educators and others – to ensure we have constructive and integrated solutions that work long term for health care providers and the patients they serve.

“At the state level, we’re working collaboratively with our workforce partners to build the case for investing in the workforce pipeline – nurses, physicians, allied health, nursing homes – and enhance nurse training opportunities and nurse faculty salaries. We also believe that health care personnel should be treated with respect and have environments that are free of abusive behavior and threats of injury and assault. We’re keeping the pressure at the federal level for additional workforce funding relief and continue to shed light on staffing companies and their anti-competitive behavior.

“Real work and real solutions are needed, and THA has been making the case in Congress and in our Texas Legislature for additional funding and attention on these short- and long-term workforce challenges.”

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For more information about the current problem and THA’s solutions, please visit THA’s explainer, “A Workforce in Peril: Shortages Threaten Patient Care.”

THA’s recent statement against workplace violence is available here.