CEO Roundtable: Staffing shortages continue to impact health care sector

WINDSOR — No industry has been left untouched by the great resignation, least of all health care. Staffing solutions were the topic of the day at BizWest’s CEO Roundtable on Health Care.

There can be a lot of root causes for a lack of qualified workers in the health care industry. Kevin Unger, president and CEO of Poudre Valley Hospital and Medical Center of the Rockies, is worried about the size of the pipeline for new workers. 

“This is gonna take some creativity and a different way of thinking, how we kind of grow that pipeline,” Unger said.

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Craig Luzinski, CEO of Associates in Family Medicine, finds that bringing new people into health care can be harder than it looks.

“We have an apprenticeship program; we just need more people to be fed to us,” Luzinski said.

Some of Northern Colorado’s health care leaders think that expanding incentives could be one solution. Lisa Melby, senior director of Loveland’s Good Samaritan Society, has found that incentive programs can help fill less desirable shifts.

“People are looking for rewards, also, and we’ve really had to focus on that, especially with our really hard-to-fill shifts [such as] weekends and nights,” Melby said.

While increased compensation could bring in workers, some may be driven out by Northern Colorado’s soaring cost of living. Dan Karpel, CEO of the Eye Center of Northern Colorado, has found that many health care workers may struggle to live in the communities they serve.

“While this is a very rapidly growing area, it’s also a very expensive area,” Karpel said.

The inverse of that problem can be felt in rural areas. Jeff Christinson, CEO of Summit Pathology, did a tour of pathology offices around Northern Colorado and Wyoming and found a slew of single-person practices with doctors ready to retire and no one to replace them.

“How many pathologists want to move to Gillette, Wyoming? And if they want to, how soon can they get there to allow this man to retire?” Christinson asked.

Another factor that could be driving qualified workers away from the health care industry: Patients who don’t respect them. Alan Qualls, CEO of Banner Health’s Northern Colorado division, worries about the safety of his employees.

“Most people don’t realize it’s a felony to hit a health care worker, but it happens all the time,” Qualls said.

Health care providers are turning to unique ways to retain staff. Nate Lamkin, president of Pathways Hospice, has found success in breaking down traditional silos between positions for registered nurses.

“We’re having to sort of break down those silos and leverage the fact that an RN can work in different settings,” Lamkin said.

Greg Berman, vice president of acceleration and engagement with Colorado Permanente Medical Group, has seen the rise of telehealth ease staffing struggles. Telehealth is also more convenient for patients.

“We know the more care we can deliver virtually, the less we’re reliant on traditional staffing models,” Berman said.

John Bender, CEO of Miramont Wellness Centers, sees telehealth as a solution to Colorado’s cost of living crisis. He has provided opportunities for workers to keep working for the same company while moving to a more affordable region.

“They’re in a part of the country where it costs less to live, and they don’t have to pay for childcare,” Bender said.

Even through staffing and supply chain struggles, Northern Colorado Anesthesiology Professionals CEO Shawn Wotowey still sees the patient as his number one priority.

”Our emphasis on quality and patient safety has got to still be resolute,” Wotowey said.

Christinson agreed, emphasizing the need for care in an industry where mistakes can be deadly.

“There’s no mistakes, this is something where quality, that cannot be underestimated,” Christinson said.

Even as COVID cases reach lows not seen in months, the future of the health care industry is still uncertain. Qualls reminded his peers that everything is still uncertain.

“We don’t know what normal looks like anymore, in terms of planning for the future, for staffing, for anything,” Qualls said.

Berman was joined by colleague Dawn Paepke for the event. Sponsor Plante Moran was represented by Owen Ronk. Darin Atteberry represented sponsor Elevations Credit Union. Ashley Cawthorn from sponsor Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti attended via Zoom.