During the first wave of the pandemic, 1.5 million healthcare workers lost their jobs when medical offices closed and hospitals postponed non-emergency care to free up resources and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Many of those jobs have since bounced back, though certain roles are facing rockier recoveries. Healthcare employers are still grappling with ongoing shortages and issues recruiting and retaining staff in all positions two years after the pandemic’s start.
In the new study, Health Affairs researchers analyzed data from the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey to discern which healthcare workers lost or left their jobs, and who was at highest risk for exiting the workforce.
