Behavioral health and addiction issues ranked as the No. 3 concern among hospital CEOs heading into 2023, according to an American College of Healthcare Executives report.
Seventy-eight percent of CEOs ranked lack of appropriate facilities or programs as most pressing within the behavioral health and addiction issues category, closely followed by lack of funding (77 percent). Insufficient reimbursement for behavioral health was another top concern, with 70 percent of CEOs saying it was an issue.
Executives identified "workforce challenges" as the No. 1 concern for the second year in a row. Ninety percent of CEOs ranked shortages of registered nurses as the most pressing within the category of workforce challenges, followed by shortages of technicians and burnout among non-physician staff.
Financial challenges, which consistently held the top spot for 16 years in a row until 2021, were listed the second-most pressing concern.