New Report Reveals Healthcare Worker Shortage

Nov. 5, 2007 (KGO) -- A report is warning of a new healthcare crisis -- not enough medical workers in a wide-range of jobs.

The study reports that the health care personnel needed to care for the aging baby boomer population just aren't there, and if something isn't done about it, Californians will be paying more, for less.

Students at City College of San Francisco will be taking your x-rays in 2009 when they graduate as radiologic technologists. Arturo Haiyagon knows why he's here:

"To take care of people when they come in sick or worried and your there to comfort them to make them feel that they're being taken care of," said Arturo Haiyagon, CCSF Radiologic Tech student.

But there aren't enough people getting the training Haiyagon is getting, according to the report funded by Kaiser Permanente and the California Wellness Foundation. It sees a shortage now and only getting worse in three out of four allied health professions, these are the caregivers such as pharmacists, physical therapists, EMT's, dental hygienists, and the list goes on. The Campaign for College Opportunity sponsored the study.

"It will make it harder to see a doctor, or to see a nurse, or to get the care you need. It's going to mean wait lists and it's going to affect the quality of the care we receive as Californians," said Abdi Soltani, Campaign for College Opportunity.

The chair of the City College of San Francisco Radiologic Technology Department, Kyle Thornton, has been a technologist for 24 years. He says the labor shortage started years ago when women started leaving these traditionally female occupations for other opportunities.

"Dot com was very attractive because one could make a lot of money there quickly. Essentially health care was not an attractive option because the work was hard and the pay was not very well," said Kyle Thornton, CCSF Radiologic Technology Dept.

That has changed. When the techs complete this two year program, they're looking at around $65,000 dollars a year. And that's part of the solution - according to the report -- promote that good earnings potential, and the opportunities for advancement, Also, it says California has to increase spending for more faculty and more of these higher cost health care programs. And the medical community has to pull together for more on the job training.

"Getting the clinical sites, whether it is for radiology technologists or if it's for nurses or its rides on the buses, we'll call an ambulance a bus, for the paramedic program," said Linda Squires-Grohe, Dean of CCSF School of Health.

The report also calls for a multi-faceted statewide support system for students in these programs.

"We have peer mentors, tutors, counselors, financial aid," said Linda Squires-Grohe.

"If this is what you want to do really focus on it and own it," said Arturo Haiyagon.

How many more allied health professionals do we need? The report says that varies by occupation from 10 to 85 percent more and that's to meet current demand. Projected demand it says requires even greater increases.

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