The Iroquois Healthcare Association represents 50 Upstate New York hospitals.
The overall average position vacancy rate is 13.5 percent, about double what it was at the start of the pandemic in 2020, according to Mr. Fitzgerald. There are over 10,000 open positions in Upstate hospitals. For registered nurse positions, the vacancy rate is higher than it’s ever been, at 18.3 percent. This is forcing hospitals to turn to more expensive traveling nursing agencies.
Mr. Fitzgerald said the COVID-19 surge and vaccination mandates are worsening staffing shortages, but he said he and the Iroquois Healthcare Association support vaccination efforts.
“There is no more time to wait for relief,” Mr. Fitzgerald wrote. “The time to act is in the rearview. With every passing day, we continue to hear from hospitals and their staff about the need to recruit more staff and new ways to retain and recognize the staff that we have — a longstanding challenge. Upstate New York hospitals need policymakers to act and do so swiftly.”
Becker’s 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit is the top tier event that the people leading the future of pharmacy convene. This 3-day event is built specifically for Chief Pharmacy Officers and senior pharmacy leaders. The sessions examine the workforce, financial and clinical priorities shaping pharmacy today. Becker’s is where candid discussions flourish and new ideas thrive. Becker's 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit
