The global healthcare sector has been grappling with a critical shortage of healthcare providers for years, a problem that worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic underscored the fragility of healthcare systems worldwide, where limited access to care, employee burnout, and a decline in the quality of care became prominent. Temporary solutions have been implemented to mitigate clinician burnout, but they have done little to address the long-term shortages plaguing healthcare organizations.
Pavani Kottapalli, an expert in healthcare systems, emphasizes the urgency of finding sustainable, long-term solutions to this problem. “Healthcare organizations are still facing workforce shortages, and the response has often been to increase salaries to attract clinicians. While this may fill gaps in the short term, it leads to low morale, errors, and a cycle of ‘chasing the mighty dollar,’ which only worsens the situation,” she explains.
The World Health Organization (WHO) projects a global shortfall of 7.2 million healthcare workers by 2035, with a rising demand for nurses and other professionals. Burnout, particularly among physicians, continues to be a significant factor. According to Kottapalli, one in three physiciansexperiences burnout, leading to poor care quality and increased errors. “The healthcare system operates through a complex interaction of clinical, legal, and economic factors, all working to deliver patient-centered care, making this issue even more pressing,” she adds.
Addressing this shortage requires innovative strategies. Kottapalli points to the need for solutions beyond quick fixes and temporary measures. “The human resources departments in healthcare must go beyond just filling positions, they must recruit the right professionals with the necessary skill sets to ensure quality care, which requires a focus on workforce efficiency, the number of professionals available, and ensuring they are placed at the right time and place.”
Furthermore, she also highlights the importance of technology in alleviating the strain on healthcare providers. “Integrating technology can help streamline workflows, cut redundant administrative tasks, and increase overall efficiency. By doing so, healthcare professionals can focus more on patient care and less on paperwork,” she notes.
For instance, telehealth services became a lifeline during the pandemic, allowing patients, particularly those in rural and underserved areas, to access care remotely. “Telehealth can potentially increase clinical quality and accessibility by 20% while reducing care costs by 15–20%. However, Kottapalli stresses that federal and state regulations must support expanding telehealth services with enhanced reimbursement policies.
Moreover, artificial intelligence (AI) is promising in healthcare, especially diagnostic processes. According to her, AI has already demonstrated the ability to outperform humans in detecting certain conditions, such as breast cancer, by analyzing medical images. “AI can assist in diagnosing conditions more accurately and faster, improving the system’s overall efficiency,” she adds.
She also believes that AI can help with such tasks as EHR and decrease the clinician’s burnout rate. The use of digital assistants and AI integration in EHR systems can reduce the time spent on documentation by up to 76% after clinic hours freeing clinicians to attend to their patients.
Another approach Kottapalli advocates is expanding training programs and increasing the number of medical schools, particularly in rural and underserved areas. “This will help address the unequal distribution of healthcare professionals, ensuring that disadvantaged populations receive adequate care,” she says. She also notes the evolving role of nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) in the U.S. healthcare system. These professionals increasingly take on primary care responsibilities, easing the burden on physicians and allowing them to focus on more complex cases.
In conclusion, Pavani Kottapalli emphasizes the need for healthcare leaders to adopt a holistic, person-centered approach to bridging the gap caused by provider workforce shortages and integrating technology effectively. “Solutions must be designed with the population’s needs in mind, not just profit,” she asserts. Key strategies include leveraging innovative technologies, expanding training programs to build a more resilient workforce, promoting ethical leadership, adopting value-based care models, and implementing policies prioritizing care quality and accessibility. At the same time, these solutions mustminimize the growing provider burnout. Only by aligning these efforts can the healthcare system achieve positive provider and patient outcomes, harmony, and long-term sustainability.
