Is now the time to hire nonclinical staff?

Health care organizations face critical physician shortages that have intensified since the COVID-19 pandemic. Burnout has accelerated retirements and career exits among practicing doctors, whereas demand continues rising with an aging population requiring more complex care. The shortfall spans specialties — from primary care and psychiatry to anesthesiology and emergency medicine — with rural and underserved areas hit hardest.

Recruiting challenges are compounded by competitive pressures. Physicians can command higher compensation, but reimbursement rates continue to fall. Geographic preferences also limit candidate pools, particularly for less desirable locations.

The pipeline problem starts with training capacity. Medical school enrollment has grown modestly, but residency positions — funded largely by Medicare — haven't expanded proportionally. Specialized fields face particularly acute shortages, with fellowship-training bottlenecks limiting supply in high-demand areas such as oncology and cardiology.

Administrative burdens worsen retention. Physicians spend increasing time on electronic health records, prior authorizations, and documentation requirements rather than patient care, contributing to dissatisfaction. Many report feeling like data entry clerks rather than healers.

Health care employers are testing solutions—loan forgiveness programs, improved work-life balance models, scribe support, and expanded advanced practice provider teams—but the fundamental gap between physician supply and patient demand continues widening, affecting access and care quality nationwide.

Medical Economics spoke with Trent Cotton, head of talent insights at ICIMS, about current hiring challenges in health care and whether now is the time to hire nonclinical staff.