Expanding Healthcare Workforce Solutions Across the Continuum of Care

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Supplemental Health Care’s Chief Operating Officer, Vickie Anenberg, discusses the challenges of healthcare expansion across the continuum of care and what SHC is doing to meet the future staffing needs of behavioral health, education, and healthcare. Vickie is a seasoned executive with a proven track record of driving growth and innovation. Her deep understanding of the industry landscape and her strategic vision have been instrumental in guiding SHC through periods of rapid change and expansion.


Staffing shortages in healthcare have become a growing concern across the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with factors such as increased demand, staff turnover, and burnout, has led to a substantial departure of nursing and other healthcare professionals, creating a significant care gap. 

But that’s not the only issue facing the country today. There is also a growing need for healthcare providers in segments of healthcare that either didn’t exist previously or are now in growing demand. Training new nurses and healthcare workers is essential to fill these critical roles and build up support throughout the continuum of care. This is certainly a challenge but not one that is insurmountable. 

Healthcare has changed and will continue to. As we look to the future, here are the healthcare trends Supplemental Health Care expects to focus on while addressing skill gaps, upskilling professionals, and expanding care settings. 

How Healthcare Continues to Expand

Healthcare is a right of the American people, not a privilege. This is backed by the Biden Administration’s actions to keep healthcare affordable and protect Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). 

However, due to the pandemic, financial pressures, clinician burnout, a growing aging population, and changes in how healthcare is delivered, the industry continues to face challenges with staffing shortages and increased demand for healthcare.

Shortages and Care Needs

It is the reality that the healthcare industry suffered a major blow during the pandemic. Research has shown that 100,000 or more nurses left the workforce at that time, and that’s not even considering those who leave or retire in the coming years. In fact, The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis (NCHWA) projects the shortage will grow to over 330,000 registered nurses and nearly 100,000 licensed practical nurses — as well as a shortage of 14% of RNs in rural or suburban areas and 8% in metropolitan regions by 2026. 

While this field is always growing and changing, losing so many nurses and seeing a growing gap in the workforce is a serious problem. There needs to be an emphasis on training and retaining nurses and healthcare providers, which will be critical to help fill in critical roles and avoid staff burnout or overwhelm. 

Home Health and Long-Term Care

It’s not just acute care that needs an influx of support though. Another area in which care is a growing need is home health. The U.S. population is growing older, which means home care will become more necessary as time passes. Overall, home health services are needed to ensure that individuals receive the necessary care and support they need to improve their health, independence, and quality of life in the comfort of their own homes.

The United States Health Resources and Services Administration and The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis (NCHWA) show a growing need for long-term care services and support by 2030, as all Baby Boomers will be at least 65 years of age at that time. Since they make up approximately one out of every five people in the country, a balanced, and strong, healthcare workforce will be needed to provide adequate care. 

Behavioral Health Care

And, perhaps unsurprisingly, there is a wide-ranging need for behavioral health care providers. The challenges in the United States, whether due to COVID-19, social issues, mental health challenges, or others, do have a significant impact on patients and healthcare professionals alike. 

Projections for health workforce providers in the next 15 years (through 2036) suggest that behavioral health will be in particular need of additional staffing. Some of the roles with projected shortages include mental health counselors, addiction counselors, and school counselors. In nursing, psychiatric nurses may be in high demand as the stress of mental health conditions and knowledge of these conditions continues to grow. 

Supplemental Health Care continues to grow as a leading integrated behavioral health provider by supporting over 100 skill sets including psychiatric nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, therapists, school psychologists, and behavioral health techs. 

The Future of Healthcare

Healthcare has expanded to include a full continuum of care ranging from traditional hospitals to ambulatory or long-term care settings. From homes to schools and behavioral health clinics or correctional facilities, there are many places where healthcare professionals are needed today. 

The healthcare worker and nursing shortage is one of the greatest complications of 2024, but there are solutions to help train and access more professionals to fill open positions. Some potential options include:

  • Filling educational gaps by getting more nurses enrolled into BSN programs, advanced certifications, and continuing education.
  • Increasing the availability of physician assistants and nurse practitioners and improving capacity in educational facilities for the next generation of carers. 
  • Preparing current and prospective nurses and healthcare professionals to fill the variety of roles across the continuum of care.
  • Supporting healthcare workers mental health and safety on the job as well as retaining top talent.

The future of healthcare is one with varied services spread well beyond the traditional settings. Care needs to match the needs of the population, which will require a greater emphasis on integrated behavioral health, special education services, home health care, and advanced practice. 

SHC Supports the Continuum of Care

Today, there are 4.3 million registered nurses in the United States, and they’re a necessary (and critical) part of the healthcare system. Unfortunately, the number of nurses still isn’t enough to fill all the needs in our healthcare system, which is why it’s so important to focus on expanding support across the whole continuum of care. Whether it’s a district in need of school nurses or a home health provider looking for support, Supplemental Health Care focuses on getting qualified and caring professionals into the areas where they’re needed most. 

We’ve taken steps to launch a new Advanced Practice division, which now recruits and places highly skilled healthcare professionals including physician assistants and nurse practitioners. Along with this, we have a team dedicated to supporting roles such as paraprofessionals and nursing assistants. 

At SHC, we recognize that healthcare is evolving and where providers are needed is changing too. With a focus on upskilling and addressing the full continuum of care, it is possible to meet these challenges and continue improving access to care nationwide.