The basics:
- Retirements expected to deepen NJ healthcare workforce shortages
- Shortages extend beyond nurses and doctors to technical roles
- AI can enhance healthcare work while creating cybersecurity risks
- Healthcare leaders say workplace changes can help prevent burnout
As part of NJBIZ’s latest virtual discussion, industry professionals from New Jersey-based organizations spoke about the ever-changing landscape of the medical field.
Moderated by NJBIZ Editor Jeffrey Kanige, the Sept. 30 Trends in Healthcare Panel Discussion featured:
- Michael Avaltroni, president of Fairleigh Dickinson University
- Caroline Patterson, a healthcare attorney and vice chair of the Healthcare Law Department at Brach Eichler
- Keri Roberts, director of strategic partnerships and communications at Serenium Therapy and Wellness
- Deborah Visconi, president and CEO of Bergen New Bridge Medical Center
Over 90 minutes, the speakers discussed how the medical landscape has changed over the years and adapted to modern times. The panelists also dove into the shortage of doctors and nurses, artificial intelligence use in the medical offices, prevention of burnout in nurses and others, needed positions and how they can help private practices attract more help.
A more detailed recap will appear in the Oct. 12 issue of NJBIZ.
Jobs coming up short
The shortages of nurses, doctors and other vital positions isn’t new to the medical field. But with expected retirements and workforce needs, the efforts to fill positions could become harder.
Avaltroni said the situation isn’t going to be solved just by “finding nurses.”
“We know that there are shortages, and frankly, with retirements of the sort of baby-boom generation, that number is going to go the wrong way, not the right way,” Avaltroni said.
According to the 2026 New Jersey Nursing Data & Analysis Report, the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing projects that the state will need to grow its registered-nurse workforce from 96,037 RNs in 2024 to 102,476 by 2034 with a turnover rate of 31%.
“We just can’t keep up because the shortages are so acute, but we, for example, have seen our nursing enrollments over the past five years more than double,” Avaltroni said.
Replay: Trends in Healthcare
Click through to watch the full panel discussion!
Visconi explained that isn’t just nurses that the state sees a shortage of.
“[B]ut we’re seeing some shortages in some of the technical fields, like in imaging and even physician’s assistants or nurse practitioners,” she said. “Even in the trades, quite frankly, we’re seeing shortages across the board.”
Visconi believes the key to recruiting the new workforce starts with almost redesigning the environment itself.
“We can’t keep designing healthcare jobs the way we did 20 years ago. We have to design jobs and environments that are going to attract the new workforce,” Visconi said.
Intelligence doesn’t have to be artificial
In the ever-changing landscape of technology, the speakers said it becomes clear that you need to catch up or get left behind.
On teaching, Avaltroni said “AI isn’t a tool for replacement but rather enhancement.”
“The analogy I always use is, if you’ve been into a physician’s office where they’re using ambient listening technology. That’s a perfect example of AI, how it’s intended to be used as an extender, right?” Avaltroni said. “Rather than a physician or a PA or a nurse with their head buried in a computer trying to take copious notes.”
But Patterson also warns of the dangers of using AI and its adoption.
“I think with patient’s data, cybersecurity is one of the biggest issues that we’re going to be facing as all these technological improvements come about and you see them all the time in the news. It’s a big risk,” she said.
Burnout in the workplace
Many people will experience burnout when it comes to their job. Often, it is due to workload, stress, emotional strain and sometimes lack of an overall workplace support system.
Roberts believes it starts with identifying the stressors and creating ways to deal with them.
“Our clinical director saw this happening, and so beyond the supervision once a week, she created a peer program. So now any of our new clinicians, whether they’re green to the industry or not, has an opportunity to work with a second person who’s been in the industry and or with us for a long time, and to have that kind of second person,” Roberts said.
But she sees that even therapists can get burnt out, too.
“So, I think the more that we can, you know, they’re humans, too, right? I think people think therapists are, you know, they don’t have emotions … but they’re dealing with heavy stuff all day, and they have their own stuff,” Roberts said.
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