Grassley Quizzes Ascension Illinois Over Private Equity Staff Outsourcing
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has expressed concerns over the nonprofit's outsourcing of a group of hospital workers to a private equity-backed staffing firm. Grassley is part of an investigation into the expansion of private equity into the health care system.
Crain's Chicago Business:
Ascension Faces Scrutiny For Outsourcing To Private Equity Firm
One of the U.S. senators investigating private equity’s push into healthcare is now targeting Ascension Illinois, the nonprofit hospital system outsourcing a group of hospital workers to a private equity-backed staffing firm. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, sent a letter today to Ascension Illinois CEO Polly Davenport expressing concerns about the organization’s deal to turn over its 110-person hospitalist practice to Atlanta-based SCP Health, following complaints to his office from unnamed whistleblowers. (Davis, 6/3)
More news on health worker staffing and burnout —
CBS News:
Growing Number Of Female Minority Doctors In California Leave Jobs Due To Burnout, Study Shows
A recent study by the nonprofit Physicians for a Healthy California reveals a growing number of minority female doctors are feeling burned out and leaving their field of work. Lupe Alonzo-Diaz, the president and CEO of Physicians For a Healthy California, said that nearly half—47%—of all women physicians of color said they felt burnout and were concerned about their wellbeing. That's a significant increase from the same study conducted in 2018. (Gonzalez, 6/3)
Modern Healthcare:
Oregon Nurse Staffing Law Takes Effect Amid Enforcement Concerns
Nurses in Oregon are hopeful a state law will solidify staffing ratios, but nurses in states with similar laws say state health department enforcement is generally lacking. Hospitals in Oregon were required to meet staffing minimums as of June 1, joining health systems in California, Massachusetts and New York that must also adhere to staffing ratio mandates. These laws were championed by healthcare unions and, in some cases, supported by state hospital associations, but nurses say they aren’t the quickest or most effective ways to tackle understaffing. (Devereaux, 6/3)
Health News Florida, WLRN Public Media:
Florida Nursing Homes Will Need To Comply With Federal Staffing Standards
The chief requirement: Nursing homes must have enough staff to provide each patient with 3.48 hours of direct care every day. Nursing home companies have raised concerns the mandate will cause financial strains. The federal government finalized a new rule in April that requires nursing homes in Florida and nationwide to comply with new staffing requirements. (Zaragovia, 6/3)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Wisconsin Is An Aging State. Can The Health Care Workforce Keep Up?
A workforce shortage is continuing to deeply rattle Wisconsin hospitals as demand for care increases, the number of providers thins, and the "silver tsunami" of aging baby boomers looms. That's the primary takeaway of the 2024 Wisconsin Health Care Workforce Report, which noted that nationally, every baby boomer will be older than 65 by 2030. Wisconsin's population already skews older than most states, with future retirees outnumbering young people by about 10%, according to the report. As those people age, their health care needs will likely rise. (Eilbert, 6/3)
The Mercury News:
Santa Clara County To Launch Program For Caregivers Looking To Go Back To Work
Santa Clara County is on the path to launch a program later this year to aid caregivers looking to return to the workforce. But the genesis for the idea has been simmering in Board President Susan Ellenberg’s mind now for decades. The Caregiver Returnship Program, which county supervisors approved in 2022, aims to tackle an issue that was exacerbated by the pandemic as individuals left the workforce to care for children or other family members. But for those looking to return to work, gaps on a resume pose difficulties in finding employment again. (Hase, 6/3)
