Iowa news
Gilbertville EMS building brings promise of ambulance
Gilbertville’s EMS building is close to 30 years old. In that time, its fire department has outgrown the facility. That will hopefully change next year: The northeast Iowa town is looking to consolidate its fire and police services under one enormous roof. Advocates say the larger space could also mean bringing an ambulance to the town — a boon as rural communities’ access to ambulance services declines nationwide. (Iowa Public Radio)
Iowa hospitals benefit from Variety’s 2023 grant funding
Variety — the Children’s Charity had a more than $3.5 million impact in 2023 through grant funding and programming combined. Variety, which aims to improve the lives of children at risk, underprivileged, critically ill or living with special needs, awarded over $2 million in grant funding to 77 Iowa nonprofits in 2023. Support Variety provided in 2023 included awarding over 100 pieces of specialized mobility equipment to children living with special needs, providing financial assistance from the Variety Compassion Fund to children and families experiencing extended hospital stays, and distributing Variety sleepsacks designed to reduce SIDS to babies born at Blank Children’s Hospital, Broadlawns Medical Center and Mercy Medical Center. (Business Record)
UnityPoint among Becker’s 150 top places to work in health care
Becker’s Healthcare has released its “150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare” list, which highlights hospitals, health systems and health care companies that promote diversity in the workforce, employee engagement and professional growth. UnityPoint Health, West Des Moines, is included on the list. The organizations on the list offer benefits and opportunities for employees to build successful careers beyond the average health care provider or company. (Becker’s Hospital Review)
National news
12 health care trends and issues for 2024
The year begins with several intensified challenges for U.S. health care providers. A dozen trends and issues commanded our attention throughout 2023, holding our curiosity for the year ahead. These patterns and shifts will influence how health care providers fare in 2024, ultimately affecting how Americans access, afford and receive care. First among our trends and issues is the problem of health care’s worsening numbers. There needs to be more than 30,000 physicians who will join the U.S. workforce to meet the growing demand for care and the number of physicians retiring, reducing clinical hours or planning to exit the field each year. (Becker’s Hospital Review)
Health care’s trap of overqualified workers
The post-pandemic labor force has 1.5 million fewer employees with some postsecondary education short of a bachelor’s degree. This shortfall is hitting health care hardest, affecting wages and qualification levels among jobholders. Job vacancies requiring a postsecondary certificate or associate degree remain high, particularly in health care. The mismatch between the supply of workers with this education level and their demand leads to increased wages and greater reliance on more-educated workers. (Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City)
CEOs turn their attention from recovery to growth
Hospital margins appear to be stabilizing and health systems continue working through their turnaround strategies. As hospital margins and finances eke back to a healthier footing, health system leaders can spend more time and resources on the growth and transformation of their organizations. Over the next three years, health care leaders expect patients to become the ultimate consumer, as technology evolves to meet the changing patient experience, access and care demands. Collaboration and partnerships between health systems will also increase as leaders strive to expand services and access to care and provide the proper care to the right people when and where they need it. (Becker’s Hospital CFO Report)