Across the United States, health care providers are facing a workforce crisis of unprecedented scale. Staff retention and recruitment have become the most pressing issues for hospitals and clinics alike, making solutions like healthcare staff retention technology increasingly vital. The American Hospital Association recently labeled the shortage of health care professionals a “national emergency,” projecting that by the end of the year, the U.S. could face a deficit of 1.1 million nurses. This shortage doesn’t just affect hospitals—it reverberates across outpatient clinics, behavioral health facilities, and long-term care centers, threatening the quality and continuity of care nationwide.
The numbers paint a stark picture. A 2022 Elsevier Health survey found that 47% of U.S. health care workers plan to leave their current roles within the next two to three years. For many facilities already struggling to fill positions, this means that a short-term gap quickly turns into a long-term staffing challenge, putting enormous pressure on the employees who remain. Overworked staff face burnout, stress, and job dissatisfaction, and the cycle continues: more departures lead to higher vacancies, and higher vacancies increase pressure on the workforce still in place.
The Obvious Solutions Aren’t Simple
On paper, the solutions to the workforce crisis seem clear. Health care organizations can invest in better pay, more comprehensive career development opportunities, new training models, and recruitment strategies that reach candidates who face barriers to employment. Promoting the mental wellbeing of frontline staff is also essential.
Yet implementing these strategies is far from straightforward. Economic pressures, budget constraints, and systemic staffing shortages make rapid change difficult. Hospitals and behavioral health providers often need solutions that provide immediate relief while they work toward long-term structural changes. One of the most promising approaches is healthcare staff retention technology.
Technology as a Tool for Attraction and Retention
Technology has transformed workplaces across industries, offering tools that improve efficiency, reduce repetitive tasks, and enhance employee satisfaction. Health care is no exception. According to Microsoft’s 2022 Work Trend Index, which surveyed 9,600 frontline health care workers, 63% of respondents said they were excited about the job opportunities technology creates. Technology tools ranked third among 12 factors that could reduce workplace stress, just behind fair pay and scheduling flexibility.
Despite these promising trends, behavioral health providers have historically lagged behind in adopting technology-driven solutions. Many facilities still rely on manual processes for monitoring patients, documenting care, and managing staff workflows. But innovations like UK-based Oxehealth’s Oxevision are changing the landscape. Leveraging healthcare staff retention technology such as Oxevision allows facilities to improve care quality while reducing stress for employees.
Vision-Based Monitoring: A Game-Changer for Behavioral Health
Oxevision is a vision-based patient monitoring system that allows staff to remotely and contact-free measure patients’ pulse and breathing rate. Already deployed by half of English NHS behavioral health providers, the technology has proven to enhance both patient care and staff wellbeing.
By providing continuous, accurate monitoring without the need for direct contact, Oxevision allows staff to focus on interventions that require human expertise while automating repetitive and time-intensive observation tasks. This combination improves patient safety, reduces stress on staff, and makes day-to-day work more manageable. Facilities adopting healthcare staff retention technology report higher morale and a more positive workplace environment.
Combating Burnout and Stress
Burnout remains one of the leading reasons why health care workers leave their jobs. Long hours, high-stakes decision-making, and frequent exposure to trauma can take a significant toll on staff mental and physical health. Vision-based patient monitoring can alleviate some of this pressure.
Staff surveys from Oxehealth’s UK partners found that 94% of respondents said Oxevision helped improve patient safety, while 85% felt more capable of managing patient risk. A unit manager at a UK behavioral health hospital explained, “Nighttime is the highest-risk period, as there are fewer staff on shift and they can feel isolated. Now staff can check on patients remotely, which reassures nursing staff and decreases their anxiety.”
Staff in behavioral health facilities often face hostility, aggression, or assault from patients. By allowing for remote monitoring, particularly during high-risk times, healthcare staff retention technology can minimize these encounters while also reducing disruptions to patients’ routines. In a multi-site survey, 73% of staff reported that Oxevision helped them manage their own safety—a critical factor in both retention and job satisfaction.
Smarter Rounding, Better Efficiency
One of the most time-consuming aspects of behavioral health care is Q15 rounding, where staff must check on patients every 15 minutes. For a single patient, this amounts to nearly 100 observations in a 24-hour period. The process is not only disruptive to patients but also exhausting for staff.
With vision-based monitoring, staff can conduct observations from a single computer or tablet, receiving medical-grade vital sign measurements without the need for constant in-person checks. Oxevision-supported rounding has been found to take nearly half the time of conventional methods, freeing staff to spend more time on therapeutic interactions, emergency responses, and hands-on care. Facilities that implement healthcare staff retention technology often see improved staff confidence, higher retention rates, and greater job satisfaction.
Laura Fitzpatrick, a unit manager at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, described Oxevision as “our sixth team member on the night shift. It can’t provide hands-on care, but it gives us more time for the care we do provide.” The system effectively extends the reach of each staff member, boosting efficiency while maintaining patient safety.
Reducing Dependence on Agency Staff
By supplementing rounding with physiological data that would otherwise be unavailable, vision-based monitoring reduces the need for continuous one-on-one observation. This has important implications for behavioral health facilities struggling with staffing shortages. Fewer agency staff are required, reducing costs and providing consistency in care—a critical factor for both patient outcomes and staff satisfaction.
Tracey Wench, executive director of nursing and quality at one of Oxehealth’s partner providers, emphasized the impact: “I couldn’t imagine not having the system in place. It makes us feel more secure and helps set up safety for patients.” Adopting healthcare staff retention technology like Oxevision allows facilities to address workforce shortages while improving patient care simultaneously.
Long-Term Benefits for Staff and Patients
Investing in healthcare staff retention technology addresses multiple challenges simultaneously. It reduces burnout, improves patient safety, boosts staff efficiency, and supports retention—all while providing patients with higher-quality care. By modernizing operations and adopting smarter monitoring tools, behavioral health facilities can better navigate workforce shortages and improve the overall work environment.
In an industry where the stakes are high and the workforce is stretched thin, healthcare staff retention technology isn’t just a convenience—it’s a critical strategy for survival. Vision-based monitoring represents a tangible step forward in creating safer, more efficient, and more satisfying workplaces for health care professionals, ensuring that both staff and patients can thrive.
