The burden of safety- and security-related events in health care has been well established. Nevertheless, until now, it has not become clear how these events affect the cost to the national healthcare systems worldwide. Very little research has been undertaken toward assessing the economic impact of such events, and few studies have attempted to estimate the additional costs of adverse events in health care.
In addition, post-pandemic, the safety and well-being of healthcare professionals continue to be an issue. The most pertinent concerns are not only linked to healthcare professionals’ potential exposure to COVID-19 and the transmission of this virus, but are also related to burnout, stress, and a lack of fair compensation, all of which plague the healthcare profession globally. Many healthcare professionals have left direct patient care post-pandemic, and at the same time, patient populations are aging with greater healthcare needs, creating continual shortages at all levels of healthcare. Data from the United States shows that over 333,000 healthcare workers left their roles in 2021 alone. Those who remain in the system are in positions of greater human and financial stress, which may lead to issues of safety (both for patients and professionals) and security, and threaten system support and overall patient care.
This Special Issue seeks to gather empirical and/or theoretical submissions that contribute to the current knowledge on and/or extend the existing frontiers of Health Economics or Occupational Health and Safety. Relevant topics to address include, but are not limited to:
- Occupational safety-related post-pandemic transition of care
- The economics of a diminishing healthcare workforce
- Physicians’ and nurses’ workplace safety
- Healthcare worker burnout
- Safe and secure hospital stays and patient care
- Healthcare worker shortages
- Patient data protection/privacy
- Economically resilient healthcare systems
- The cost of the strain on patient care, and
- Other “hot” topics relevant to this Special Issue
Submitted manuscripts should contain a clear explanation as to why the healthcare issue is of importance and the potential impact that a change in contemporary practice will address. Rigorous academic work with practical managerial/policy recommendations is expected. "Original Research" type manuscripts are especially welcome.