Erie hospitals still dealing with 'great outmigration' of nurses, technicians, doctors

Saint Vincent Hospital President Dr. Christopher Clark calls it the "great outmigration," the exodus of nurses, physicians and technicians from hospitals all over the United States in late 2021 and 2022.

Burnt out from the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these medical professionals either retired completely or sought jobs that were less stressful.

Two years later, the pandemic might be over but the search for their replacements continues.

"It's not just nurses," Clark said. "It's a number of skilled positions where you need specialized training, such as technicians in the operating room, surgical technicians and lab techs."

In an effort to recruit more of these health-care professionals, representatives from LECOM Health, Saint Vincent and UPMC Hamot joined more than 25 other employers May 13 for a job fair LECOM hosted at the Bayfront Convention Center.

Health-care job fairs are not unique, but having Erie's three main health systems attend the same one doesn't occur very often. Clark recalled one other, hosted in 2023 by the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership.

"We might all be competing for the same candidates, but having all three of us in one place is a good way to attract more people," said Dr. Danielle Hansen, medical director of LECOM Health's Medical Associates of Erie and chief of staff at Millcreek Community Hospital.

COVID-19 changed nursing profession

As people began trickling into the job fair, Saint Vincent nursing recruiter Janet Engel and nurse manager Brianna Gallaher waited for potential applicants to visit their booth. They talked about how the pandemic changed the nursing profession.

So many nurses retired or quit that hospitals were forced to hire more agency, or traveling, nurses. Hospitals paid up to $200 an hour, including agency fees, for these nurses, said Brian Durniok, UPMC Hamot president.

The average wage for permanent nurses in Erie is about $40 an hour, according to indeed.com.

"COVID changed things. The wage became more important for many nurses," Gallaher said. "People still want the COVID rates, but they have gone back down a bit. But it's not just the money. My staff also wants recognition, they want to belong. I work to build that."

Even some doctors want to work from home

Another change during the pandemic is the increased desire for employees to work from home, even in the health-care industry.

It's more common in nonclinical areas, such as finance and marketing, but some doctors have found it possible to practice medicine without leaving their house.

"Radiology is a challenging field to recruit because it is turning into a work-from-home field," Durniok said. "The reality is that Hamot is a trauma center with an emergency department. We need the radiologist to be able to read scans instantaneously. We also need interventional radiologists on site."

Durniok said it also has been difficult at times to recruit anesthesiologists and neurologists, while Clark added gastroenterologists to the list.

Both Hamot and Saint Vincent have reported success recruiting primary care physicians, and Saint Vincent also recently hired three new urologists.

"Overall, we have more than 20 new physicians this year, which is more than we hired last year," Clark said.

"During the pandemic, travel bans made it difficult because physicians couldn't visit Erie and see what we had to offer," said Durniok, adding that Hamot has recruited 25 physicians so far this year "In many cases, new physicians would stay where they trained or work in their hometowns. Now they are visiting other places, like Erie."

Behavioral health providers also see recruitment issues

Behavioral health agencies are also struggling to recruit workers. The Achievement Center of LECOM Health is always searching for support staff, including behavioral health-care consultants and blended case managers.

COVID affected people with behavioral health issues, isolating them more by cancelling many of their group experiences, said Cindy Bonniger, the center's chief human resources manager.

"As far as behavioral health consultants, we will take as many people as can apply," Bonniger said. "The need far outweighs the supply, not just in Erie County but everywhere."

Whether recruiting physicians, nurses, technicians or housekeepers, health systems need to reach their potential employees.

Traditional methods, such as job fairs and newspaper ads, are now just a small part of the effort, Clark said.

"You have to adapt to the ways younger people look for jobs," Clark said. "That's places like indeed.com. We also use social media."

What hasn't changed are the benefits of working in health care, Hansen said. You can make a good living and, in many cases, work the shifts you prefer.

But those aren't the best reasons.

"We can make such a difference in people's lives," Hansen said. "It's a fulfilling kind of work. You get to share in someone's journey."

Contact David Bruce at dbruce@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNBruce.