CentraCare has lost more than 1,000 employees in the past year due to various reasons.  That according to CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris.  He says:

The COVID-19 virus has caused many people to leave for other jobs in the health care industry, leaving health care completely or they are just leaving us.

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Morris says each person has their own reasons for leaving.  CentraCare instituted a vaccine mandate in August.  The mandate likely contributed to many leaving but Morris says departures from CentraCare started happening long before August in fact he says it began in the spring of 2020.  He says this problem isn't unique to CentraCare.  He says people have left the health care industry in large numbers throughout the country.  Morris says:

We see a lot of challenge, frustration, fatigue, exhaustion, the burdens that they are carrying have weighed them down to a point where it becomes harder and harder to find joy in work.

Morris says the decrease in health care workers has decreased their capacity.  He says the amount of people coming in with typical ailments hasn't changed in addition to the pressure they are getting from COVID-19.  Morris says in health care circles he's seen an estimate that 15% to 20% of healthcare workers have left the industry in the nation since the pandemic began.  He calls this a secondary effect of COVID.  He says because of this:

It's harder to provide the care we want to and the care the community needs.

Morris says they are here to help support and serve the health of the people in the community.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Dr. Morris it is available below.

 

 

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