Experts say hospitals must plan for providing care after an attack

Cybersecurity and patient safety

Experts offer advice for hospitals on protecting systems and patients

Tips and tough love

Criminals know smaller systems are vulnerable to cyberattacks

Targeting small hospitals

Tiffany Capeles has been named the first chief equity officer of Intermountain Healthcare.

Capeles will lead efforts to expand diversity, equity and inclusion efforts throughout Intermountain, a system operating 33 hospitals and a host of clinics and facilities in seven states.

She has worked as director of health equity at CHRISTUS Health, a Texas-based system. Capeles also served in multiple roles at Children’s Health in Texas and at Adventist HealthCare in Maryland.

“I’m very excited to join Intermountain to help continue the important work that’s already underway to ensure that all of the communities we serve are getting the best care possible and feel welcomed and included in their experiences with Intermountain,” she said in a statement. “We have a wonderful foundation here to build on.”

Marc Harrison, Intermountain’s president and CEO, said Capeles will oversee efforts to improve staff diversity and the social determinants of health among the system’s patients.

“Intermountain is determined to lead the nation in eliminating health disparities and bettering the health of everyone in our communities,” Harrison said in a news release. “Tiffany’s leadership and her strong record of achieving greater health equity have earned her the respect of our peers in healthcare along with well-deserved national acclaim.”

In 2021, Capeles received the career achievement award from the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives. She also was named one of Modern Healthcare’s top 25 emerging leaders.

Intermountain CEO talks about merger with SCL Health

University Hospitals announces president of three Ohio hospitals

Robyn Strosaker has been named president and chief operating officer of University Hospitals Lake West, TriPoint and Beachwood Medical Centers.

She will begin her new appointment June 1, 2022. She succeeds Cynthia Moore-Hardy, who recently completed 25 years of transformative leadership as President of UH Lake Health.

Strosaker has spent the past three years as chief operating officer at UH Cleveland Medical Center, the 1,000-bed academic medical center at the heart of the UH health system. She was credited with leading a host of safety, quality and patient experience efforts and was hailed for her steady leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also served as chief medical officer for the UH Cleveland Medical Center for three years.

Alan Papa, chief operating officer of the UH East Market, outlined her strengths in a news release.

“Dr. Strosaker’s abilities as a team-builder, communicator, problem-solver and physician will help facilitate and continue the ongoing integration of UH and Lake Health into one, unified health system to best serve our patients’ needs,” Papa said.

University of Virginia Medical Center names new COO

Min Y. Lee has been named the new chief operations officer of the University of Virginia Medical Center.

Lee will oversee the medical center’s day-to-day operations. She’s the current vice president of operations at Reading Hospital in Reading, Pa., which is part of the Tower Health system. She’ll take the new job on June 27.

“I am honored to join the UVA Health team during such a pivotal time in our industry,” she said in the statement. “I appreciate the magnitude of this role and responsibility, and I am looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and working alongside UVA Health’s extraordinary team members in service of our community and those who entrust us with their health.”

Before joining Reading Hospital, Lee served as vice president of operations for Emory Healthcare at Emory University Hospital Midtown, an academic medical center in Atlanta, Ga.

Wendy Horton, chief executive officer of UVA Medical Center, called Lee “a strong, engaged leader with a tremendous background as a healthcare leader.”

Seattle Children’s chooses new development officer

Dondi Cupp has been named the new senior vice president and chief development officer of the Seattle Children’s Foundation and Guild Association.

Cupp will take the post June 2. He will lead all of Seattle Children’s philanthropic efforts.

He joins Seattle Children’s from Oregon Health & Science University Foundation, where he has served as senior vice president and chief development officer and was responsible for a comprehensive fundraising program, where he helped lead a $2 billion campaign.

“Seattle Children’s just ended a very successful ‘It Starts With Yes’ campaign, but the work of ensuring access to equitable healthcare for patients regardless of their family’s ability to pay never stops,” Cupp said in a statement. 

“I’m excited to work closely with the hospital’s leaders and our generous community to direct the Seattle Children’s Foundation into its next chapter of philanthropy and fundraising priorities.”

Cupp has spent more than 34 years in fundraising, first serving as associate director of the Western Washington University Foundation in Bellingham. He later moved to the University of Washington as senior director of development for the sciences and later became assistant vice president of advancement. 

Cupp spent several years as associate vice president for development at the University of Michigan’s office of university development.

New CEO takes over at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge

Rene Ragas has begun his new role as president and chief executive officer of Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Ragas took the post May 9. He’s the former Northshore Market President for Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. He also served as CEO of Our Lady of the Angels Hospital in Bogalusa.

A lifelong resident of Louisiana, Ragas possesses more than two decades of experience as a healthcare executive. He also led Our Lady of the Lake Surgical Hospital in Slidell and Our Lady of the Lake Pontchartrain Surgery Center in Mandeville. He also managed a network of more than 60 primary care and specialty physicians in the Northshore region.

Ragas is familiar with Woman’s Hospital beyond professional reasons. All three of his children were born at the hospital.

“I have admired the passion and commitment of Woman’s to its mission for many years as a member of the local healthcare community, but the personal connection I have from experiencing the exceptional care that was provided to my wife and our children is incredibly meaningful to me,” Ragas said in a statement. 

“I’m excited to be joining the team today and to help solidify the legacy that has been established at Woman’s and carry it well into the future.”

Palmdale Regional Medical Center CEO plans to retire

Richard “Dick” Allen, CEO of Palmdale Regional Medical Center in California, has announced his plans to retire.

Allen, the chief executive of the medical center for nearly a decade, will step down effective May 16. He has spent more than 40 years in healthcare, holding a host of leadership posts at acute care hospitals and rehabilitation facilities.

He has also held leadership posts with the American Hospital Association, the California Hospital Association, and the Kansas Hospital Association.

At Palmdale, he helped secure an agreement with City of Hope to expand access to cancer services. Under his leadership, the medical center also opened a rehabilitation unit for patients with strokes, traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries.

Richard Norris, chairman of Palmdale’s board, said Allen’s retirement is well earned.

“We appreciate Dick’s commitment to Palmdale Regional and the healthcare of the Antelope Valley and thank him for his many contributions. His leadership in business development and hospital services expansion will be felt for many years to come,” Norris said in a statement.

Articles

University Hospitals selects a president for three Ohio hospitals, University of Virginia Medical Center chooses a CEO, and other leaders fill new posts.  


MED MOVES: Intermountain Healthcare names first chief equity officer, and more

A former nurse has been sentenced to probation in a highly-watched case involving the death of a patient, and the judge's decision Friday elicited relief from nurses nationwide.

The trial of RaDonda Vaught gained national attention. She was convicted in March of negligent homicide and gross neglect of an impaired adult after a trial in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Davidson County Criminal Court Judge Jennifer Smith sentenced Vaught to three years of probation, 

 and other media outlets reported. Under the terms of her sentence, her conviction could be wiped off her record if she completes the probationary program successfully.

In 2017, Vaught, then a nurse at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, gave 75-year-old patient Charlene Murphey a dose of a paralyzing drug, vecuronium, instead of a sedative.

After her conviction in March, nurses and other medical groups warned the verdict could have a 

chilling effect on the healthcare profession

Some warned the verdict would prompt nurses to leave the profession, exacerbating a nationwide nursing shortage. Some leaders also said it could make nurses and doctors more reluctant to disclose errors, which could pose greater risks for the safety of patients. 

Rebecca Love, a registered nurse and chief clinical officer at IntelyCare, told 

 the conviction of Vaught haunted many nurses.

"It is resonating so powerfully," she said in a recent interview. "It’s not that you could lose your job or livelihood. It’s that we could lose our freedom.”

During the sentencing hearing, Vaught tearfully said, "I let Charlene Murphey down. I let her family down. I let myself down." 

Outside the courthouse, a crowd, including some healthcare workers, cheered after hearing the judge opted for probation over a prison term, 

 reported. A photo shows a doctor holding a sign saying that jailing Vaught "will worsen medical drug errors."

Robyn Begley, chief nursing officer of the American Hospital Association, said in a 

 Friday she was pleased the judge showed leniency.

"Tragic incidents that result from medical errors should not be criminalized," Begley said. 

"Criminal prosecutions will discourage health caregivers from coming forward with their mistakes and will complicate efforts to retain and recruit more people into nursing and other healthcare professions that are already understaffed."

 to the judge on Vaught's behalf, imploring the judge to issue a lenient sentence. After the sentence was announced, the nurses association said it was grateful Vaught was spared prison.

"Nurses too often find themselves working under conditions that increase the likelihood of adverse outcomes from tragic mistakes," the ANA said in a 

The ANA and Tennessee Nurses Association both said in March they were “deeply distressed by this verdict and the harmful ramifications of criminalizing the honest reporting of mistakes.”

“The criminalization of medical errors is unnerving, and this verdict sets into motion a dangerous precedent," the nursing groups said. "There are more effective and just mechanisms to examine errors, establish system improvements and take corrective action. The non-intentional acts of Individual nurses like RaDonda Vaught should not be criminalized to ensure patient safety."

 she was worried about one lingering aspect of the convicton of Vaught. Prosecutors in other areas may be likely to pursue similar cases when healthcare workers make errors, she said.

"Now DAs recognize jurors will find nurses guilty for unintentional harm," Love said.

Anne Dabrow Woods, the chief nurse of Wolters Kluwer’s Health, Learning, Research and Practice business, said in an April interview with 

 that the case could make healthcare workers think twice about disclosing mistakes. 

“We’re at a precipice right now," Woods said. "Nurses are going to think twice about putting their license in jeopardy. Are they going to be supported if they make an error?”

Woods and other health leaders said hospitals and healthcare systems need to look at the systemic problems that can lead to errors harming patients. Some nursing leaders are also calling for hospitals to 

“We need to make sure this doesn’t become a fear factor issue where people are afraid to be transparent and say when they made an error," Woods told 

. "Everybody makes mistakes. Doctors make mistakes.

“The key thing in healthcare is we need to make sure there are systems in place that not only protect our patients but also protect us from making those mistakes," she said.

In its statement Friday, the American Nurses Association called for changes to protect nurses and their patients.

"Leaders, regulators and administrators have a responsibility to nurses and patients to put in place and sustain organizational structures that support a just culture, which includes recognizing that mistakes happen and systems fail," the ANA said. 

"Structures should include full and confidential peer review processes to examine errors, deploy system improvements and establish corrective action plans. The criminalization of medical errors will not preserve safe patient care environments.”

RaDonda Vaught received probation in a case that gained national attention. Many expressed relief she was spared a prison term, but experts warned her conviction could deter nurses from disclosing errors.

Former nurse sentenced to probation in death of patient

Some of America’s largest healthcare organizations are pressing President Biden’s administration to continue the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The emergency declaration began in 2020 and was extended again last month, but it is slated to expire in mid-July. The declaration offers providers and federal agencies more flexibility in battling the pandemic.

Healthcare leaders have said they are worried this is the last extension. The timing is critical, because U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra has said he would give about 60 days notice before ending the emergency. 

So healthcare advocacy groups are making the case now.

, 16 healthcare groups, including the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, and the AARP urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to continue the emergency. They cited the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in the letter, which was sent May 10.

“We request that the Administration maintain the public health emergency (PHE) until it is clear that the global pandemic has receded and the capabilities authorized by the PHE are no longer necessary,” the letter stated. “This will help prevent any future surges from threatening the health and safety of patients and the ability of health care professionals to care for them.”

When the public health emergency expires, many states will be making new determinations about who is eligible for healthcare coverage. As many as 15 million Americans, including 6.7 million children, could lose coverage, the healthcare groups stated.

Under the emergency declaration, the Food and Drug Administration has utilized emergency use authorizations for vaccines, treatments and tests.

Providers have also valued the waivers during the emergency that have made it easier to deliver care. Hospitals and health systems can more quickly expand capacity to treat COVID-19 patients and care for other patients as well.

With the emergency declaration, health providers have been able to take advantage of 

Earlier this year, lawmakers and the White House agreed to 

extend telehealth waivers for about five months

 after the expiration of the public health emergency. Still, healthcare leaders have pressed Washington for reforms allowing permanent access to telehealth, including 

the ability to prescribe medications remotely

, the Medical Group Management Association also urged the Biden administration to continue the public health emergency, citing concerns over telehealth. The five-month telehealth extension beyond the emergency doesn’t go far enough, the MGMA said.

“The 151-day extension does not address telehealth payment parity, interstate licensure, or HIPAA compliant platforms. These are all flexibilities that still currently hinge of the PHE remaining in place,” the MGMA wrote.

Healthcare groups have been pressing Becerra and the health department to provide more notice. In March, Becerra told reporters the agency would provide as much notice as possible but said it would be “tough to give much more than 60 days,” 

The MGMA said the government needs to give more notice. “If you intend not to renew the PHE, we are concerned that a 60-day notice before ending it is not enough time to sufficiently wind down flexibilities that have been in effect for over two years,” the MGMA stated.

While COVID-19 cases are far below the peaks seen at the beginning of the year with the Omicron variant, cases have been rising in recent weeks. The average number of daily new cases is 84,000, a 58% increase over the last 14 days, according to 

Even that increase may not give the full picture. Health officials have said government case totals are a less reliable indicator of the spread of COVID-19, since many Americans are testing at home and aren’t notifying state or local health agencies if they test positive.

The AHA, AMA and other groups pointed out the Delta variant led to an unexpected spike in COVID-19 cases in July and August of 2021.

So far, COVID-19 hospitalizations remain well below record highs, but they are rising. The current 7-day average in coronavirus hospitalizations nationwide is 14,104, up from 12,291 the previous week, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (The peak 7-day average topped 146,000 in January.)

“Advancements in surveillance have observed rapid variant mutations and while public health experts acknowledge that current variants are not leading to excessive hospitalizations at this time, they also assert that new variants absolutely could,” the AHA and other health groups wrote in their May 10 letter.

“We need to be ready should a future variant elude the protection of our current vaccines and ensure that the health care system is prepared as we head into this fall’s flu season.”

The American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, AARP and others argue the emergency declaration provides critical tools to fight the virus and protect the public.

Health groups urge Biden administration to maintain COVID-19 public health emergency

Even though the country has seen so many grim figures in the pandemic, the recognition that 1 million Americans have died due to COVID-19 still manages to be haunting.

President Joe Biden marked what he described the “tragic milestone” of 1 million deaths Thursday. He ordered flags to be flown at half staff at the White House and federal buildings. 

“Each an irreplaceable loss,” Biden said in a statement. “Each leaving behind a family, a community, and a nation forever changed because of this pandemic.”

The American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, and the American Nurses Association all released a 

Thursday in recognition of 1 million coronavirus deaths.

“Our nation’s nurses, physicians, and other dedicated health care professionals and essential workers have been on the front lines from day one, seeing firsthand the devastating impact this virus has had on far too many patients, families and communities,” the healthcare groups said.

“The pandemic has also taken a large toll on the wellbeing of many of our caregivers and put a spotlight on the need to continue to support those who take care of us.”

Yet the full toll of the pandemic on healthcare workers isn’t clear.

More than 3,600 healthcare workers died during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an exhaustive 

, “Lost on the Frontline,” by The Guardian and Kaiser Health News. The report, published in April 2021, also called on the Biden administration to more aggressively track the deaths of healthcare workers.

Coronavirus deaths among healthcare workers declined substantially after December 2020, when the COVID-19 vaccines were widely available for healthcare nurses. Health systems generally say they have ample supplies of personal protective equipment, something that was lacking early in the pandemic.

Nurses accounted for roughly one in three COVID-19 deaths (32%) in the pandemic’s first year, according to the Guardian/KHN report. One in five (20%) of the deaths occurred among healthcare support staff, while 17% of those who died were doctors.

 estimated last fall that 115,000 healthcare workers have died from the pandemic. The WHO’s analysis suggested the number of healthcare worker deaths worldwide ranged from a low of 80,000 to a high of 180,000.

Some healthcare workers, overwhelmed by the trauma of the pandemic, have taken their own lives. 

Lorna Breen, an emergency physician in New York, died by suicide in the early weeks of the pandemic. Her death led to a new federal law, 

, which provides grants to healthcare organizations to address the mental health needs of healthcare workers.

Even now, too few workers are seeking help for mental health issues, healthcare leaders say. Michael Odell, a California nurse, died by suicide earlier this year, stoking fresh questions about the mental health of nurses and other healthcare workers.

Nurses say their mental health is suffering. Why aren’t more seeking help?

Corey Feist, co-founder of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation (and Breen’s brother-in-law), said healthcare workers need to know seeking help is not a sign of weakness. Health systems need to stress to nurses and doctors that getting help won't hurt their career. Some don’t get help for fear it could jeopardize their licenses, Feist said.

, Feist said healthcare leaders must understand the root causes of their stress and work on solutions.

“The workforce needs leaders to acknowledge the sacrifices they made and see them as people who need their support now more than they’ve ever needed them before,” Feist said.

If you're struggling or someone you know is struggling, help is available through the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. Call 800-273-TALK (8255). The hotline is available around the clock.

President Joe Biden marked the grim milestone Thursday. More than 3,000 healthcare workers died in the first year of the pandemic, but the full toll isn’t clear.

The U.S. reaches 1 million COVID-19 deaths. Thousands are healthcare workers.

Hospital leaders have bemoaned a nationwide shortage of nurses, and nursing leaders argue that more flexible scheduling would help keep nurses from walking away.

Increasingly, some nursing leaders say it’s time to move away from the 12-hour shifts employed by many hospitals. As National Nurses Week concludes, nursing industry leaders and advocates say health systems must develop other scheduling options.

Advocates for moving away from 12-hour shifts make several points. Those shifts are extremely difficult for nurses who have children. Some advocates say many nurses who have young children leave the profession, or at least get out of full-time roles, because it’s too difficult to manage 12-hour shifts when raising school-age kids. As nurses get older, the 12-hour shifts get more difficult, nursing leaders say.

‘Return nurses to being nurses’: A call to address burnout and shortages

On National Nurses Week, many nurses say they don’t feel valued

Some say moving to shorter nursing shifts would improve patient safety, and federal officials have voiced concerns over 

Some nurses have appreciated the 12-hours shifts that have become widespread in recent years. Many nurses work three 12-hours shifts each week, allowing four days out of the hospital. For younger nurses in particular, the schedule can be appealing, nursing leaders say.

Hospitals also have found it easier to schedule staff with 12-hour shifts, leaders say. 

Vicki Good, executive director of nursing for Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, strongly advocates for moving away from 12-hour shifts. She’s a past president of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses board of directors.

 about challenges in nursing, Good said she could have a whole separate conversation about 12-hour shifts for nurses.

“It’s the worst thing from a safety perspective and from a long-term workforce perspective that we could have ever done in nursing,” Good said.

At a time when hospitals around the country are searching for nurses, Good said it’s time to reconsider the 12-hour shifts. Hospitals were facing a shortage of nurses before COVID-19 ever appeared, but the pandemic has driven more nurses to leave the profession due to the stress and fatigue. 

Many nurses say they plan to leave their practice within the next two years

“We have to look at alternative staffing models,” Good said. “The traditional staffing models aren’t going to cut it in the future, unless we can look at an alternative way to get more nurses.”

The Nurse Staffing Think Tank - a coalition of five nursing organizations - released a 

 earlier this month outlining ways health systems can address the nursing shortage. 

Among the top recommendations: Developing more flexible schedules for nurses.

The 12-hour shifts grow more challenging for nurses as they age, Good said. Nearly half of all registered nurses are over the age of 50, according to a recent 

 assessing the pandemic’s impact on hospitals and workforce staffing.

“If you look from a physical standpoint as the nursing workforce gets older, it’s much more difficult to be on your feet and doing patient lifts, etc., for 12 hours as opposed to 8 hours,” Good said.

Anne Dabrow Woods, the chief nurse of Wolters Kluwer’s Health, Learning, Research and Practice business, has spent 38 years in nursing. Hospitals and health systems solve a lot of scheduling hassles with 12-hour shifts, she said.

But given the shortage of nurses, Woods said healthcare organizations are going to have to consider other strategies in scheduling.

“Nurses are saying, ‘I need more flexibility in the hours I work, because I’m worried about my family, or other things,’” Woods said.

“We need to take a look at being more flexible with our scheduling and recognize 12-hour shifts are not going to be the answer for everyone, and we need to have more flexibility.”

How healthcare systems can work to keep nurses

Nurse advocates also say 12-hour shifts could raise the risks of affecting patient safety.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found in a 

 that longer nursing shifts contributed to burnout and patient dissatisfaction. The study examined more than 22,000 nurses who worked at 577 hospitals.

“Nurses working shifts of ten hours or longer were up to two and a half times more likely than nurses working shorter shifts to experience burnout and job dissatisfaction and to intend to leave the job,” the Penn researchers wrote. “Extended shifts undermine nurses’ well-being, may result in expensive job turnover, and can negatively affect patient care.”

Healthcare leaders should take a close look and see if there’s a link between longer shifts and negative impacts on patients, Woods suggested.

“If you have nurses that are working multiple 12-hour shifts, you need to see if you are seeing an error increase with them, and maybe the leaders need to step in and say, ‘We’re not going to allow our nurses to do that,’” Woods said.

“They’re not only putting their patients at risk, they are putting their license at risk,” she added.

Some nurses on 12-hour shifts regularly stay longer than their scheduled shift. With overtime and travel time, those 12-hour shifts can easily become 14- or 15-hour days, Good said.

“If you look at the research, the 12-hour shifts are probably not the best thing for patients,” Good said. “The human mind can only stay focused on something for basically 8-10 hours. Then you're asking that nurse to stay focused on patient care for 12 hours.”

Rebecca Love, chief clinical officer of IntelyCare, said 12-hour days are too draining for many nurses. “You are running for 12 hours, lifting 300-pound patients, lugging technology and equipment,” Love said. “These days are insurmountable.”

Some nursing advocates say they’re hearing more from nurses who would like 8-hour shifts, 6-hour shifts, or even split shifts, where they would be able to go home for a few hours for family time and return to work.

With the stress of the job exacerbated by the pandemic, many nurses said they no longer recommend the profession, according to a 

 by IntelyCare. Hospitals need to consider offering more part-time roles with benefits to help keep good nurses in their organizations, Love said.

Nicole Banister, senior vice president of transformation at Caravan Health, said healthcare leaders should look at flexible scheduling as a key retention strategy. She also pointed out technology platforms can help assist leaders in devising scheduling solutions.

Health leaders that are considering changing schedules should consult their nurses to develop better schedules.

“They might come up with things they’ve never thought of before,” Banister said.

Hospitals are facing no shortage of financial challenges, including higher labor costs and supplies.

But health systems are going to have to get creative in terms of better scheduling and compensation to keep veteran nurses, who bring valued experience to the table, Good said.

“Those nurses with 10 or 15 years experience come with a lot of institutional knowledge that you can’t replace with a traveler or a new graduate,” Good said.

Some nursing leaders say shorter, more flexible shifts would help the nursing shortage and also protect patients. But moving away from 12-hour shifts wouldn’t be easy.

Should hospital nurses be working 12-hour shifts?

Labor expenses at U.S. hospitals have risen by more than a third since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new 

Hospitals have been struggling with higher costs for labor and supplies in recent years, and those higher costs have been a drag on their financial performance.

Labor expenses at American hospitals and health systems rose 37% per patient between 2019 and March 2022, according to the report, which was released May 11. Labor costs per adjusted discharge rose from $4,009 to $5,494 in that span.

Contract labor expenses were identified as the key factor in the higher labor costs. Hospitals and health systems are spending 11% of their total labor costs on contract labor in 2022, up from just 2% in 2019.

Median hourly wages for contract nurses rose from $64 in 2019 to $132 in 2022, an increase of 106%, the report stated. Staff nurse rages rose from $35 to $39 over the same three-year span, an increase of 11%, Kaufman Hall reported.

Healthcare systems have bristled at the higher wages imposed by contract labor firms, particularly travel nurses. The 

 said last month hourly billing rates for contract labor firms have risen 213% since the start of the pandemic. The AHA and other healthcare groups have asked federal regulators 

The rising labor costs have made it more costly and difficult to treat patients, said Erik Swanson, senior vice president of data and analytics at Kaufman Hall.

“Skyrocketing labor costs, decreasing patient volume and lower revenues create a perfect storm for steep declines in profit margins,” Swanson said in a statement. “Hospitals now face a number of pressures to attract and retain affordable clinical staff, maintain patient safety, deliver quality services and increase their efficiency.”

 for the past three months, Kaufman Hall has reported. Median operating margins, including federal CARES funding, fell from 5.6% in December 2021 to -1.4% in March 2022, according to the new report.

Health systems suffered a brutal start to the year with record COVID-19 hospitalizations, which only added to staffing shortages. Hospitals also had to postpone non-urgent procedures due to the surge of patients with the Omicron variant, and some patients delayed care, so hospitals saw less revenue.

Healthcare leaders have said they have dealt with severe shortages of personnel, including nurses. They’ve also complained that nurses have left hospital staff jobs for more lucrative positions as travel nurses.

Nurses have countered that they aren’t adequately supported or paid by hospitals and said nurses wouldn’t be leaving in droves if health systems were treating them well.

Hospitals across the country have struggled with higher labor costs, but the largest increases were in the South and West (43% and 42%, respectively), according to the Kaufman Hall report.

The West and Northeast/Mid-Atlantic regions had the highest labor expenses, with the median labor cost per adjusted discharge surpassing $7,000.

Labor now accounts for 49% of the total expenses of hospitals, up from 46% three years ago, according to the report.

Hospital leaders are going to have to continue to plan for higher labor costs. Leaders must devise strategies to recruit new workers and to retain the valuable employees they can’t afford to lose, the Kaufman Hall report stated.

“Healthcare executives will need to bring their most flexible attitudes and their most creative thinking to a challenge of great dimension and even greater complexity,” the report stated.

A new Kaufman Hall report says increased labor costs have added to the financial challenges facing American health systems. Healthcare leaders will have to find ways to recruit and retain workers. 