According to the Aug. 7 update of the Mullan Institute (MI) State Hospital Workforce Deficit Estimator, 26 states, including Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington, are anticipating shortages in ICU doctors, or intensivists, up from five states last week. These highly specialized physicians are critical to providing life-saving care to COVID-19 patients and others suffering with serious illness or injury.
The estimator also found that 10 states are at risk of running low on critical care nurses, with New Mexico, Oregon and Utah among those experiencing a strain. And there are seven states expected to face a shortage in hospitalists, including Nevada and Utah, up from zero states last week.
Nine states will see a deficit in respiratory therapists, including New Mexico, Oregon and Utah, while six states will experience a pharmacist shortage, with Nevada, Oregon and Utah on the list.
The estimator aims to shed light on labor supply rather than beds, as it takes more time to find skilled medical professionals with experience working in an intensive care unit than it does to set up additional hospital units.