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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RESOLUTION TO REDUCE THE COOK COUNTY HEALTH SYSTEM'S RELIANCE ON TEMPORARY STAFFING AGENCIES WHILE PRIORITIZING PERMANENT EMPLOYEES
WHEREAS, Nationwide, the U.S. population is increasing, including those aged 65 years and older who are known to visit healthcare providers more frequently; and
WHEREAS, healthcare systems face a shortage of healthcare workers, including nurses and specialized doctors, which may jeopardize access to high quality, equitable care; and
WHEREAS, according to the American Hospital Association, the United States boasts over 6,000 hospitals, including rural, urban, and government community hospitals, servicing over 900,000 beds throughout the country; and
WHEREAS, many hospitals, clinics, and medical centers face a variety of job vacancies, including nurses, respiratory therapists and mental health clinicians; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic left a profound toll on the mental and physical well-being of healthcare workers, with many suffering from burnout, stress, and mental health challenges; and
WHEREAS, demand for healthcare services is expected to significantly increase; and
WHEREAS, to address the shortages of medical professionals, many health systems have resorted to the use of staffing agencies to provide temporary personnel to fill vacancies; and
WHEREAS, agency use has a place in healthcare to bridge unpredictable staffing gaps and in large health systems with staffing challenges, but should not be used to maintain a core workforce; and
WHEREAS, staffing agencies providing temporary employees can be a costly alternative to hiring permanent employees, where agency personnel make double or triple-fold the salary of permanent employees; and
WHEREAS, permanent employees often note the burden of onboarding and training new agency personnel unfairly falls to them, negatively affecting relationships between permanent and agency staff and reducing overall workplace morale; and
WHEREAS, the red...
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