Assessment of need for multicompetent allied health practitioners in the midlands of South Carolina.

Recent attention has focused on integration of Multicompetent Allied Health Practitioners (MCAHPs) into the health care labor force to offset future imbalances in supply and demand for allied health practitioners, and to maximize use of existing allied health practitioners. Several recent studies have focused on multicompetency issues. However, there is little that shows the impact of MCAHPs on health care costs. This study was conducted to determine the current usage of MCAHPs, projected future need for them, needs-skill combinations, entry-level salary comparison between MCAHPs and single-skilled practitioners, projected yearly savings in personnel costs to health care organizations employing MCAHPs, and community support for a college-based MCAHP program. Results indicated a large market for MCAHPs, increased entry-level salaries for MCAHPs compared to single-skilled practitioners, and projected savings to health care institutions due to decreased personnel costs.