Health Care Professionals Could Benefit From Poor Economy

The bad economy might actually be good news for the health care jobs in the state. A new report by a hospital lobbying group says aging baby boomers and fewer health care professionals could spell trouble for the industry in the state. Mary Becker with the Missouri Hospital Association says the state is facing a shrinking workforce as more of the population ages and needs extended health care. And, Becker says if the trend continues more providers might have to cut services simply because there are not enough workers. But, she says the recent downturn in the economy might actually end up helping the shortage situation because more people will turn to the health care industry looking for a stable place to work. Becker says the Association helps hospitals and health care providers recruit more workers by letting students in middle and high schools know which courses they’ll need to focus on to qualify for a job later on.