Remove barriers to increase health care access in Western Pa.

Originally published at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Nearly three years after the onset of the covid-19 pandemic, hospitals still struggle with significant labor shortages. Health care workers are facing long hours and massive burnout. Earlier this year, as many as 93% of surveyed Pittsburgh hospital workers were considering leaving the profession.

Pennsylvania’s aging population has upped the demand for care, exacerbating the health care worker shortage. The commonwealth has the second-highest number of residents over 65 amid ever-troubling expectations of further shortfalls in primary care providers.

Nationally, projections see the physician shortage increasing between 21,000 and 55,000 — further limiting health care access for all patients.

Read more at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review