Patients in Wisconsin are spending more time in hospitals after more than a decade of declining hospital stays, according to Ann Zenk, vice president of workforce and clinical practice at the Wisconsin Hospital Association.
In a recent interview, she highlighted results of a health care workforce report from WHA, noting the impact of the state’s aging population is starting to become apparent.
“Businesses are feeling the impact of baby boomers retiring every day,” Zenk said. “We’re seeing both in Wisconsin and nationally, gaps in being able to fill positions in our workforce.”
As the health care field continues to see increasing retirements among older practitioners, Zenk said younger generations can’t keep up with the demands of the workforce. And as the state’s aging population leads to higher health care spending, Wisconsin’s health care system will be tasked with fulfilling greater demand with a shrinking workforce.
Wisconsin’s over-65 population is expected to double in the next decade, and health care demands are expected to increase by 30 percent, Zenk said. Read the full story here.
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