More fragmented and uncoordinated healthcare

May be on the horizon thanks to a growing shortage of U.S. healthcare workers. That’s the message from a new poll of healthcare quality experts conducted by ASQ, the world’s largest network of quality resources and experts.

The online poll was conducted with 475 U.S. healthcare quality professionals who are part of the ASQ quality community. Respondents say healthcare quality will be most impacted by the following shortages:

• Primary care physicians (44 percent of respondents)
• Nurses and nursing assistants (27 percent of respondents)
• Laboratory professional shortages were also mentioned as an area of concern

Poll respondents indicate the biggest quality issues patients will face in light of a staffing shortage are: spotty care, longer waits for primary care physician appointments and medical errors.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services predicts that healthcare staffing shortages will increase significantly after 2014. That’s when approximately 32 million more people will be insured, as mandated by the healthcare reform law, and as baby boomers become Medicare-aged.

“This trend is real and could have a negative impact on a patient’s experience as heavier demands are placed on the system,” said Joe Fortuna, chair of ASQ’s Healthcare Division. “That’s why it is imperative that healthcare organizations focus on enhancing their ability to prevent errors, remove waste and improve the clinical and operational quality of the services they provide.”