Missouri Hospital Association

Around 14% of all staff positions at hospitals were vacant in 2023, a rate that’s lower than it was at the height of the pandemic but still higher than in 2019.

The Missouri Hospital Association's annual report shows vacancies and turnover rates at the state's hospitals have decreased since the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2021. But they remain high, and employers are concerned about the future workforce.

Hospitals relied on travel nurses during the pandemic, but they came at a high cost. Now, states including Missouri are considering legislation to crack down on hospital spending.

Missouri lawmakers this year passed the No Patient Left Alone Act as a result of some patients being unable to have visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Months later, the impact of the law is likely dependent on a future health emergency.

The percentage of nursing positions that are vacant at St. Louis-area hospitals has risen sharply since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report by the Missouri Hospital Association. The report found vacancies for registered nurses in the metro area increased from 11% in 2020 to 20% in 2021.

The Missouri legislature has voted to allow nursing home residents and hospital patients to have two designated caregivers who can provide physical and mental support for the patient.

About three-quarters of Kansas and Missouri counties lack intensive care units, forcing critically ill rural patients to seek care in major cities.

Hospitals across Missouri will soon receive help from a Texas-based company the state is hiring to provide additional workers and hospital beds. The support announced Wednesday will help hospitals care for additional coronavirus patients.

The rising rates of COVID-19 in Missouri's rural areas are causing the state's hospitals to become overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, Kansas officials say hospital data may be delayed due to the sudden shift.