DOVER – The Delaware Healthcare Association (DHA) has released a first-of-its-kind report detailing community impacts by hospital systems throughout the First State.
The report offered an economic driver snapshot, suggesting that “Delaware hospitals are the largest private sector employer in the state” with 28,000 jobs linked to hospitals in the state.
Approximately 23,000 people are also employed by the hospital sector indirectly through roles in construction, contracting or other vendor-type or contract-based employment.
Brian Frazee, DHA president and CEO, told the Delaware Business Times that although there continues to be shortages in the health care workforce, it also continues to be a growing workforce in Delaware.
“Enhancing Delaware’s healthcare workforce is one of our three priorities. There’s a lot of legislative potential there. There was a workforce data bill that passed just the other day, for example, that will help us get the data we need to continue to grow this particular workforce. And our members have a lot of innovative visions, too, to make it happen,” he told DBT.
While he couldn’t speak directly to next year’s legislative season, he hinted that future legislation could include making sure Delaware is a member of workforce related compacts that would allow healthcare professionals to work across state lines easier like the social work compact that was passed by Delaware legislature recently.
“It’s going to be important in the future to have those opportunities,” he said, highlighting the need for more primary care physicians for Delaware’s growing and aging population.
The report cited just 487 primary care providers employed through hospital and health systems in Delaware. Data from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) shows 71 more primary care physicians will be needed to simply remove Delaware’s designation as a Health Professional Shortage Area in that category.
Despite a shortage of health care professionals, the report lauded Delaware’s newest honor as first in the nation in terms of hospital quality which was awarded by U.S. World and News Report.
“We serve anyone who walks into our doors 24/7, 365 days a year regardless of their ability to pay,” Frazee said. “Our hospitals are ready to provide all Delawareans the care they need when they need it and we’re very proud of the fact that we were recognized in such a way as the number one in the country. It’s a testament to the health care investments made in Delaware and to the workforce, the frontline providers.”
The report also highlighted an emerging issue – federal dollars and how that could negatively impact the work done in Delaware hospitals. Delaware is at risk of losing up to $4 billion in federal Medicaid funding by 2034, according to the report and data from KFF, which would impact as many as 53,000 Delawareans.
“It would have a devastating impact on the numbers and on the people. They’ll be in the emergency room more often, they will delay care and we’ll have poorer health outcomes and more expensive care. That’s not good for anyone,” Frazee told DBT.
He added that he hopes the report can be used as another tool in the toolbox for health care and other local leaders as the state continues to face uncertainty in the years to come.
“This is just part of our broader strategic effort around showcasing and enhancing what’s in Delaware. We had the first ever state advocacy agenda and doubled the size of our team at DHA and we want to make sure we’re highlighting the challenges and opportunities and the great work that’s being done across the state. We also wanted to highlight the ways that we’re working together with policy makers,” he said. “I hope that it will be viewed as one of those things as we showcase the work that it takes to be ranked number one in quality in the country and a continued trend of a new era of collaboration for the organization.”
