NCHA Hospital Workforce Report

New Report Shows Hospital Employment Trends in North Carolina

Policy & Research
Employer Demand

Originally published by NC Healthcare Association

March 26, 2024

A new RTI workforce report commissioned by NCHA highlights a positive trend in staffing retention and reduced vacancies across most of North Carolina hospitals and health systems in 2023. Despite this improvement, rural, nursing, and residential care facilities continue to experience workforce challenges. The “Critical Workforce Needs Assessment ” found that more than 60% of hospitals and health systems reported improved employment conditions. From October 2022 to October 2023, total employment increased by 6%, while vacancies dropped by 17%, signaling a positive shift. Other key findings include:

With North Carolina’s population growing and aging, the need for more healthcare workers, especially nurses, is paramount. People over 65 were just 12% of the state’s population in 2000 but are expected to account for 20% of state residents by 2035.