Inside Lakeshore College's Dental Clinic
A recent report by the Wisconsin Hospitals Association highlights a persistent problem: The demand for workers outstrips the numbers entering the health care field.
The annual Wisconsin Health Care Workforce Report released on Tuesday shows hospital employment has increased 23 percent over the last decade, and vacancy rates have improved from a pandemic peak of 10 percent in 2022 to 7.2 percent in 2024. Despite those improvements, Wisconsin hospitals exhibit employee vacancy rates more than double pre-pandemic levels, with expectations that the pressure will only intensify.
Besides attracting more people into health care careers, the WHA report says that cutting red-tape paperwork is a critical issue, as the average hospital dedicates 59 full-time staff to regulatory compliance, often tying up a physician or nurse who could otherwise provide care. Enter Lakeshore College.
We approached Lakeshore President Dr. Paul Carlsen for his take on the situation. He replied that “Lakeshore College is fortunate to have strong support from our health care providers in Manitowoc and Sheboygan Counties. We would not have been able to open our Center for Health Care Excellence without the generous financial commitments of Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charities Sponsored Ministries, and many other partners.”
He continued “Since opening the Center, enrollment has grown across all our health programs – including radiography technician, nursing assistant, medical assistant, practical nursing, and registered nursing. While the demand for health care professionals continues to outpace supply, we are committed to doing our part to help close that gap.”
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