Health Committee Addresses Fewer Workers

The Health Policy Committee has issued an ATS statement recognizing the impending pulmonary, critical care, and sleep (PCCS) workforce shortage, and has submitted the document to the new federal Workforce Advisory Commission.

The statement, “Pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Workforce Shortage,” outlines the continued threat of respiratory diseases, increased cases of sleep apnea in children and adults, and the aging U.S. population, and highlights statistics that show a shortfall of adequately trained PCCS specialists to provide care to this surging patient population. Recommendations include policies that support training young PCCS physicians and collaboration between policy makers and medical societies such as the ATS to address issues that impact reimbursement and job satisfaction and develop innovative care delivery models.

Read the full ATS statement at Thoracic.org/advocacy/policy-position-statements/resources/ats-workforce-policy-brief.pdf.