The mental and physical well-being of caregivers probably didn’t show up on any pre-COVID-19 work plan, but times change, and some compliance officers think it’s a top risk for 2022.

COVID-19’s impact on physicians, nurses and other frontline workers, including concerns about burnout, loss of staff and the potential effect on compliance, are worrying hospital administrators, including compliance officers.

“We have all been through a tremendous year, which I think showed a lot of resilience and the ability for people to adapt quickly,” said a compliance officer, who preferred not to be identified. But it’s also exhausted caregivers. “We know there’s a war on talent, but I think it’s a much deeper issue, and it doesn’t matter if they’re your employee or not. All of our professionals are in need of care,” she said. “We are linear thinkers. We thought there was a beginning and end. We talk about the new normal, but normal is always changing. That is the new normal.”