Allied Health Work Force Shortages Pose Concern: An Insight

A deficiency of health workers in many countries of the world is a chief barrier for health care systems as they pose serious challenges to the way and manner into which response are given to the prevalence of chronic diseases.

Such diseases as Covid-19 pandemic, avian influenza and other challenges, according to a latest report by the World Health Organization no doubt called for an increase in number of health and medical personnel across the globe.

 The United States is equally hugely affected by this shortage as well. Acute personnel shortages occur in allied health professions such as medical technology and respiratory therapy. Enough numbers of these practitioners are not always available to deal with the regular flow of patient needs that must be met.

 Also disturbing is the risk posed by bio-terrorism and the additional anxiety that such acts would place on a system that is already under strain. In a situation like this, laboratory technicians and respiratory therapists would be in high demand. Laboratory tests would be obligatory to ascertain how victims have been affected and to what extent, and breathing difficulties would have to be attended to by qualified technicians.

 Nursing shortages have also received much public interest recently. Depending on what professions and levels are included, allied health is as large as or larger than nursing. Similar to nursing, many applicants to allied health programs are denied admission because of shortages of faculty, clinical training sites and related funds.

 Many students are attracted to a career in a health profession, but the costs of obtaining an education are becoming more of a barrier. Funding for education by the states is at its lowest in 25 years, and provision per student has decreased significantly due to improved enrollment and inflation in the economy. Total tax revenues have declined as a percentage of state wealth.

Another factor is the increased expenses for Medicaid programs, which continue to require a larger share of the overall budget in each state.

 As a means of addressing the situation, the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions is working with several other organizations to advance S. 473, the Allied Health Professions Reinvestment Act of 2005, and H.R. 215, a companion bill. This proposed legislation is calculated to furnish a remedy for the allied health work-force problems. If something isn't done soon, the organization warns, there will be an alarming growth in adverse effects in patients because of a scarce supply of allied health caregivers.

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