As the owner of multiple healthcare businesses and the Director of Provider Relations and Recruiting for an MSO with nearly 40 clinics and over 70 providers, I’ve witnessed firsthand the increasing challenge of a healthcare provider shortage. It’s no secret that the U.S. is struggling to meet the healthcare needs of its population, and the problem is only growing.

The shortage of physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers is affecting every corner of the country. Both urban and rural areas are feeling the strain, but the impact is particularly harsh for families with limited resources. Unfortunately, individuals are failing to understand that healthcare insurance does not equal healthcare coverage, and many continue to pay for services that fail to provide meaningful access to healthcare professionals.

For physicians, the focus of their practice is shifting. Rather than spending the majority of their time interacting with patients, many are becoming more like clerks, forced to spend excessive hours documenting everything in order to meet the necessary requirements for reimbursement. This overwhelming administrative burden distracts from what drew physicians to medicine in the first place—the ability to care for their patients. The time spent on documentation often overshadows the time spent on patient care, affecting both physician job satisfaction and the overall patient experience.

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) predicts a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. This is a direct result of factors such as burnout, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the growing trend of physicians leaving the workforce. The shortage is most acute in primary care, but many specialties—like obstetrics, pediatrics, ophthalmology, and infectious disease—are also feeling the pinch.

Nurses and other healthcare providers are also in short supply, which compounds the issue. Midwives, in particular, are needed to provide care during childbirth, but there aren’t enough to go around. These shortages are hitting those in lower-income communities the hardest, as they are often the ones with the least access to healthcare.

What can we do about this? The key lies in innovation. One solution is the increasing proliferation of practices offering cash-based services. These practices can bypass traditional insurance models and offer more flexible, patient-centered care. As healthcare providers, we need to continue embracing these new models to ensure that we can meet the growing demand for care.

But innovation goes beyond just business models. We must also embrace technology and subcontractors to help with tasks that are time-consuming and distract from the core focus of patient care. This is exactly why I created Taino Consultants and EPI Compliance—to provide solutions that help healthcare professionals streamline their operations while reducing costs. Technology, when used right, can take over administrative burdens and allow providers to spend more time focusing on what matters most: the patients.

Despite the challenges, there is hope. If we work together, think creatively, and keep putting the patient’s needs at the forefront, we can continue to move forward. The shortage of healthcare providers isn’t an insurmountable problem; it’s an opportunity for the healthcare system to evolve and adapt.