Governor Hochul Takes Bold Action to Alleviate Potential Health Care Staffing Shortages

September 28, 2021

Governor Kathy Hochul tonight signed an executive order to alleviate potential staffing shortages in hospitals and other health care facilities statewide. The executive order significantly expands the eligible health care workforce and allows additional health care workers to administer COVID-19 testing and vaccinations.

"The only way we can move past this pandemic is to ensure that everyone eligible is vaccinated, and that includes those who are taking care of our vulnerable family members and loved ones,"

Governor Hochul said.

"On Saturday I released a comprehensive plan in advance of the deadline for the vaccine mandate that keeps New Yorkers safe, and tonight I am adding even more provisions to take bold action to alleviate potential staffing shortages. To monitor developments on the ground, I am also directing an around-the-clock operations center to assist local partners and troubleshoot staffing issues in real time."

Governor Hochul has directed a 24/7 Operations Center, led by the New York State Department of Health, to constantly monitor staffing operations and trends statewide, provide guidance to healthcare facilities and help troubleshoot acute situations with providers as necessary. The Governor is engaged in ongoing outreach with local elected officials, hospitals, labor leaders, and other health care organizations to check-in on staffing status and offer State assistance.

Expanding Eligible Health Care Workforce to Meet Staffing Needs

To remove barriers to allow additional categories of health care workers to provide care in order to meet staffing needs in New York, the executive order includes a series of provisions, including:

• Allowing out of state and out of country health care workers including physicians, RNs, LPNs, NPs, PAs, midwives, clinical nurse specialists, licensed master social workers, and licensed clinical social workers to practice in New York;

• Waiving re-registration fees, creating an expedited re-registration process, and eliminating barriers to re-enter the workforce for retirees;

• Allowing practitioners to work or volunteer in other facilities;

• Allowing physician visits in nursing homes to be done using telemedicine;

• Allowing New York State-licensed providers without current registrations to practice without penalty for lack of registration;

• Allowing graduates of SED-registered programs (NP, Lab, RN, LPN) to practice in a hospital or nursing home for 180 days following graduation

Additionally, Governor Hochul plans to work with the federal government and other state leaders to explore ways to expedite visa requests for medical professionals and is monitoring whether the deployment of medically-trained National Guard members may be necessary to execute at any point.

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New York Pressroom

September 27, 2021