The most pressing workforce issues for 103 healthcare leaders

Becker’s asked C-suite executives from hospitals, health systems, academic medical centers and universities across the U.S. to share 2026’s most pressing workforce challenges and their solutions.

The 103 executives featured in this article are all speaking at the Becker’s Healthcare 16th Annual Meeting, from April 13 – 16, 2026 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. 

To learn more about this event, click here.

If you would like to join as a speaker or a reviewer, contact Mariah Muhammad at mmuhammad@beckershealthcare.com or agendateam@beckershealthcare.com. 

For more information on sponsorship opportunities or vendor access-only badges, contact Jessica Cole at jcole@beckershealthcare.com.

As part of an ongoing series, Becker’s is talking to healthcare leaders who will speak at our conference. The following are answers from our speakers at the event.

Question: What do you anticipate being the most pressing workforce challenge in 2026, and how are you preparing to address it?

Warner L. Thomas. President and CEO of Sutter Health (Sacramento, Calif.): To navigate the growing number of challenges in healthcare, health systems must evolve and adapt. This is a great time to be in healthcare—full of opportunity to redesign care, improve access, and innovate for patients—but it also brings stress and complexity that can take a toll on our people. Our role as leaders is to ensure our teams are inspired, equipped and empowered to meet these challenges head-on. That means showing how change can be managed effectively and helping people stay connected to purpose and optimism so they can lean into change rather than be weighed down by it. By focusing on the opportunities change creates and providing guidance along the way, we help our teams stay motivated and perform at their best.

John D’Angelo, MD. President and CEO of Northwell Health (New Hyde Park, N.Y.): Our Northwell workforce is 106,000 strong, spanning from our dedicated frontline caregivers to our administrative teams and all support functions. Each role and discipline present its own unique set of challenges in 2026.

Right now, we’re immersed in a significant transformation with our Epic EHR rollout. We are engaged in large-scale training for our entire workforce, ensuring a smooth transition while simultaneously preparing to launch new tools that will improve both our administrative and clinical operations. 

This demands a dual investment: not only in essential technological training to empower our teams with the most advanced tools, but equally important, in cultivating the next generation of leaders who will passionately carry our mission forward.

We rely on our leaders across the health system to actively seek new ways to inspire our employees, strategically recruit new talent and build a cohesive team, deeply rooted in our culture of care.

Conor P. Delaney, MD, PhD. President of Cleveland Clinic Florida Market; Executive Vice President of Cleveland Clinic: Physician workforce shortages will continue to be one of the most pressing challenges in 2026. Like many healthcare systems, Cleveland Clinic has been addressing this proactively over the past several years, taking steps to strengthen our workforce and ensure patients can continue to access care close to home.

In 2025 alone, we welcomed nearly 100 new physicians across Florida, and over the past six years, our physician workforce has grown by approximately 91%. In addition to recruitment, we are expanding primary care access, increasing emergency department capacity, and enhancing specialty services to meet growing patient needs. 

These efforts are part of a longer-term approach to addressing workforce challenges rather than reacting to them as they arise. Our focus will continue to be supporting multidisciplinary teams so that patients receive timely, compassionate care throughout the communities we serve.

Maria Ansari, MD. Co-CEO of The Permanente Federation; CEO and Executive Director of The Permanente Medical Group; President and CEO of Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group; CEO of Northwest Permanente (Oakland, Calif.): We are living in an era of rapid change. Healthcare organizations must build new capabilities quickly enough to keep pace with the acceleration of AI and evolving models of care, all while sustaining physician and employee engagement and retention. These pressures are amplified by ongoing demographic and economic shifts that are transforming both the workforce and the needs of the communities we serve.

We’re preparing to address this by expanding agile, on-demand education opportunities and reinforcing a culture of continuous learning. We’re also investing in using AI while also redesigning our systems of care to create frictionless experiences for both the clinicians and our patients with stakeholder input. Our strategy is to engage and develop a workforce that’s well-resourced, supported, and ready to deliver outstanding care in an evolving healthcare landscape.

James Hereford. President and CEO of Fairview Health Services at M Health Fairview (Minneapolis): At Fairview, we’re on a mission to be the most human-centered healthcare system, and that starts with how we support our workforce. The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 is sustaining trust, engagement, and momentum in an environment that continues to ask a lot from the people delivering care.

That’s why our focus is very practical. First, we’re prioritizing employee safety, especially in emergency departments and behavioral health departments, because no one can do their best work if they don’t feel safe coming to work. Creating secure, supportive environments for our teams is essential.

Second, we’re investing in the next generation of healthcare workers. Recruitment isn’t just about filling roles; it’s about showing students and early-career professionals that healthcare can be a sustainable, meaningful career where they’re supported and developed as leaders. We also invest in the development of our people to make sure that we have strong leaders at every level of the organization.

And third, we’re being intentional about how we use technology to reduce unnecessary complexity. The goal is to combine technology that integrates into our work processes to support our people and our patients.

Shelly Schorer. CFO of California Division at CommonSpirit Health (Chicago): The most pressing workforce challenge we anticipate in 2026 revolves around the complex interplay of staffing shortages, retention, and optimal labor allocation. Human capital stands as both our most vital asset and our largest investment within healthcare. Therefore, its effective management is critical for sustaining our financial health and, more importantly, for ensuring the delivery of quality patient care. For a large health system like CommonSpirit, we must concentrate our efforts on strategic labor allocation, enhancing technology and workflows, innovative recruitment strategies, and maintaining a competitive compensation and benefits package. 

Susan Huang, MD. Chief Physician Executive of Providence (Renton, Wash.); Chief Executive of Providence Clinical Network: The biggest workforce challenge in 2026 is navigating transformation at scale without losing the human experience of care. External pressures, from workforce shortages to financial and regulatory changes, are real, and they contribute to burnout when systems aren’t designed thoughtfully. We’re preparing by reimagining care and workforce models together: streamlining work, expanding team‑based approaches, and using technology to support, not complicate, clinical practice. The goal is a sustainable workforce where caregivers can thrive even as care continues to evolve.

Jeff Flaks. CEO of Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare: The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 will be navigating the unprecedented pace at which AI and emerging technologies are transforming how care is delivered and how work itself is designed. These advances are reshaping the roles of our providers, clinicians and colleagues, reimagining workflows, and accelerating expectations for efficiency, experience, and affordability. At Hartford HealthCare, we have established strong governance to ensure every new tool enhances safety, quality, and the experience of our colleagues. Our People Promise, introduced last year, reinforces our commitment to colleagues’ well‑being, career growth, total rewards, and a culture where all can thrive, supported by academic partnerships and tuition assistance that expand career pathways. We are also expanding access to leadership coaching and development resources, ensuring our leaders are equipped to support their teams and strengthen our culture. At the same time, we are proactively redesigning work so that AI and automation enable our people to work at the top of their license, while reskilling and development opportunities prepare them for the future. Together, these efforts position us to embrace technological change while ensuring our workforce remains strong, resilient, and mission‑focused.

Richard P. Lofgren, MD. President and CEO of OU Health (Oklahoma City): I don’t think we’re paying enough attention to the generational shift happening in the workforce. Generations are approaching work in distinctly different ways.

In today’s workforce, we have four cohorts, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z, and each carries its own expectations around autonomy, communication, purpose and work–life balance. If you approach the workforce as a monolith and overlook these differences, you’re not going to optimize performance or engagement. Healthcare is a team sport built on talent, and these generational shifts are reshaping everything from how people prefer to be led to how they define success and meaning in their work.

At OU Health, we’ve leaned into shifting the culture through the OU Health Way values, which intentionally align to expectations across these generational attitudes. We’re investing in understanding how different generations work, what motivates them and what they need to thrive. That includes leadership development, mentorship and creating an environment where those differences become strengths rather than friction points.

The organizations that figure this out — those that recognize, respect and strategically leverage these generational differences — will have a real advantage in attracting and keeping the talent healthcare depends on.

John D. Couris. President and CEO of Florida Health Sciences Center, Tampa General Hospital: The most pressing workforce challenge we see in 2026 is the growing shortage of skilled clinical and technical professionals. While health care has always faced staffing pressures, particularly in nursing, the scope of shortages is expanding faster than traditional education models can support. To address this, at Florida Health Sciences Center | Tampa General Hospital, we’re focused on rethinking how and where clinical education happens through deeper partnerships with local schools and technical programs. This work includes creating more flexible pathways, including evening, weekend and hospital partnership programs, that allow people to work while pursuing a healthcare career. Internally, we’re strengthening career pathways and job progressions to build sustainable talent pipelines from within. Together, these efforts help us grow and retain our team members while contributing to long-term workforce stability across our region.

Mark Whalen. Executive Vice President and Enterprise Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer of Jefferson Health (Philadelphia): The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 will be ensuring our talent keeps pace with the rapidly evolving skills required in this era of healthcare. We are focused on building a future‑ready workforce through targeted upskilling and reskilling across clinical and nonclinical roles. At the same time, we are leveraging AI and redesigned operating models to reduce low‑value administrative work, allowing our teams to focus on higher‑impact tasks. In fact, we launched a unique initiative to return 10 million clinician hours back to patient care over the next few years. This not only improves efficiency but also supports retention and wellbeing. Finally, we are expanding academic programs within Thomas Jefferson University to build a strong, skills-aligned pipeline that anticipates the roles our enterprise will need in the years ahead. Together, these strategies ensure we are preparing our workforce for a more advanced, technology‑enabled future.

Patrick Frias, MD. Co-President and CEO of Rady Children’s Health (San Diego and Orange, Calif.): As Rady Children’s Health enters its second year as a merged organization (Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego and Children’s Hospital of Orange County joined forces in January 2025), one of our most pressing workforce challenges is successfully integrating two cultures during a period of significant change. We’re focusing on advancing our priorities while remaining conscious of how the pace of change impacts our people. We’ve launched a new mission statement created with input from across the combined organization. We’ve aligned benefits and we’re creating a unified pay structure to ensure equity and consistency in our system. And we’re finding opportunities for meaningful collaboration among cross-functional teams. The point that “culture eats strategy for breakfast” is well taken; unless we can unify our workforce with shared values, beliefs and behaviors, we run the risk of sabotaging our best-laid strategic plans.

Leong Koh, MD. Executive Medical Director of Northwest Permanente (Oakland, Calif.): Looking ahead to 2026, a key workforce challenge will be integrating advanced technologies, as we have with AI scribes, to support physicians and streamline processes to address burnout. Our goal is to augment — not replace — physicians’ capabilities, enabling them to spend more time with patients and less on administrative tasks such as documentation and managing communications.

As we implement new tools, addressing burnout within specialties is increasingly important. The Northwest Permanente Cancer center has prioritized wellness by launching a wellness advisory committee, peer support program, and daily huddles to foster teamwork and support. To ease physician workload, they’ve introduced a robust nurse navigator program for handling in-baskets and patient communications, and piloted community health workers for patient needs. These efforts earned recognition from the American Medical Association’s 2025 Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program.

Peter Pronovost, MD, PhD. Chief Quality and Clinical Transformation Officer and President of Veale Healthcare Transformation Institute at University Hospitals (Cleveland): Health systems continue to face the significant workforce challenges of inflation, shortages in personnel and improving quality outcomes. However, at University Hospitals, we’re addressing all three through a systematic process to optimize work. Step one is evaluating tasks being performed, rather than just the role assigned to do the work. In some cases, we’ve found that certain tasks can be phased out. For example, by looking at work with an eye toward greater efficiency, we ‘sunset’ 2,800 policies over the last three years because the burdens exceeded the benefits, saving tens of thousands of hours and effort. 

Complementing this approach is harnessing the power of AI to make our work better and more efficient. We’re currently using AI technology to make phone calls to our patients post-discharge, as well as to ensure they’re filling the prescriptions they need with our pharmacies. On the flip side, we’re also employing low-tech solutions for making work more efficient, such as packaging all the things nurses need to do into one ‘bundle’ of tasks. We’re also looking to reduce costs for our patients and our health system by embracing remote work solutions for some tasks. In some cases, junior caregivers can perform the tasks, allowing our more senior clinicians to work at the top of their license.

But all of this must be done deliberatively and thoughtfully. In healthcare, we all have unique roles to play in completing the work to serve our patients. The important distinction to make is which caregiver’s many tasks need to stay ‘sacred’ because they are their role’s ‘superpower’ for healing.

David Lubarsky, MD. President and CEO of Westchester Medical Center Health (Valhalla, N.Y.): A happy, healthy, vibrant, talented workforce starts and ends with trust. Almost all workforce challenges, at their root, come down to that. We are in the midst of one of the deepest and broadest human experience projects with Press Ganey that I have ever been a part of. At its core, we are strengthening trust through radical transparency, benchmarking, follow-through, and plain, old hard work. Within this umbrella, we are tracking over 175 projects that will strengthen the universal humanity inherent in each of us: patient, volunteer, doctor, environmental services tech, nurse, administrator, surgeon, EMT. Together, we’re going from great to exemplary in the care we provide to our patients and the experience we provide to our workforce. I can’t wait to see what this next year holds. 

Dana Beckton. Chief Inclusion and Belonging Officer of Sutter Health (Sacramento, Calif.): I believe the most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 and beyond will be ensuring we are hiring and developing the talent needed for the future of healthcare, not just filling today’s roles. As technology becomes increasingly integrated into patient care and service delivery, the nature of work will change. That evolution presents a significant opportunity: to intentionally invest in our people. We must prepare them to work alongside new tools while focusing more deeply on what only humans can do: build trust, listen and connect. We’re doing this at Sutter Health through Sutter Health University, equipping both leaders and employees with the skills, capabilities and mindset needed to thrive in this rapidly evolving healthcare environment. We are equally focused on cultivating a strong culture of inclusion and belonging, because when people feel valued and supported, they are more open to growth, more resilient in times of change and better able to bring their full selves to their work. That human-centered approach will be critical as we respond to the increasingly evolving and complex needs of our patients and communities and ensure our people can meet those needs with empathy, purpose and excellence.

Tommy Ibrahim, MD. Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer of Sanford Health (Sioux Falls, S.D.): One of the most pressing workforce challenges in 2026 will be ensuring clinicians and non-clinical team members feel supported as AI and automation become more embedded in care delivery and health system operations. The technology is advancing quickly, but success will depend on trust, engagement and disciplined implementation.

At Sanford Health, we are intentional about bringing both clinical and operational teams along from the very beginning. We engage frontline physicians, nurses, caregivers and administrative leaders at the outset of any technology deployment and ensure representation across roles in governance processes before a decision is made. When innovation is clearly tied to improving patient care and strengthening efficiencies, teams lean in. Building buy-in starts with demonstrating how technology enhances the patient-provider relationship, reduces friction in care delivery and streamlines operational workflows across the system.

To support responsible adoption, we’ve established a multidisciplinary AI, data governance and oversight committee. This group evaluates internally developed models as well as proposals from external partners. Each review rigorously assesses clinical efficacy, safety, data integrity, operational impact and alignment with our strategic priorities, with representation from both clinical and non-clinical leadership to ensure workforce impact, training needs and change management are considered comprehensively. Patients and caregivers remain at the center of every AI-related decision, and our governance structure ensures tools are deployed safely, transparently and with appropriate oversight.

Ultimately, we view AI and automation as integral support tools in our workforce strategy — reducing administrative burden, enhancing clinical decision-making and enabling team members across the organization to work at the top of their role. Preparing for 2026 means investing as much in change management and governance as we do in the technology itself.

Jahmal Miller. Chief Administrative Officer of Dignity Health Mercy Medical Group at CommonSpirit Health (Chicago): For Mercy Medical Group, a CommonSpirit Health member, the most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 is the critical shortage of culturally competent and diverse physicians and APPs, essential for addressing health disparities within the communities we serve. Our preparation is significantly bolstered by the More In Common Alliance, led by Dr. Veronica T. Mallett, system senior vice president and chief administrative officer for More in Common Alliance, CommonSpirit Health, which fosters a diversified medical education pipeline through partnerships with Morehouse School of Medicine. This strategic collaboration offers unique clinical experiences and strengthens our ability to attract and retain mission-aligned providers, allowing us to deliver on our commitment to comprehensive, innovative medical education that promotes health equity. We are excited for FY26 to further advance these goals, embodying our pursuit of excellence and equity in healthcare.

Sue Anderson. Regional President of Wisconsin Region at SSM Health (St. Louis): Certainly, one of the biggest challenges in healthcare today is attracting the next generation of healthcare workers while retaining qualified, experienced clinicians, especially those in highly specialized roles. SSM Health has adopted a multipronged approach designed to stabilize our current workforce and intentionally build the talent pipeline for the future.

Through an extensive internal clinical career pathway, apprenticeships, regional cohorts and local, regional and national partnerships, SSM Health is reducing its reliance on the external labor market and developing talent aligned to our own care models, culture and individual community needs.

We are investing in current team members to grow their skills through apprenticeship programs and paid educational opportunities in partnership with government agencies, and national and community colleges to fill the high demand roles of imaging assistant, medical assistant, ophthalmic assistant pharmacy technician and surgical technologist.

We also have been successful in reducing our turnover rates to top decile, focusing on retaining our team members by addressing what matters most to them. Coming through the COVID pandemic, we have worked diligently to erase any stigma associated with caregivers needing care, implementing our Care for Caregivers program as well as Schwartz Rounds to help address issues that can cause physiological stress and lead to burnout.

We continue to step up our efforts to maintain and grow the highly qualified workforce that will be necessary for SSM Health to continue to provide exceptional care for the rapidly changing needs of the communities we are privileged to serve.

David Marcozzi, MD. Chief Clinical Officer of University of Maryland Medical Center; Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs at University of Maryland School of Medicine (Baltimore): UMMC is addressing this critical issue in several ways. First, we’re implementing a strong unit-based dyad model, pairing physician and nursing leaders to ensure accountability for care delivery, culture, and performance. This model enables faster decision-making and provides more consistent support for frontline teams.

Second, we are intentionally vetting and adopting AI to reduce administrative burdens, with a focus on automation and decision support that meaningfully frees up clinicians’ time.

Finally, we’re expanding Interdisciplinary Bedside Rounds (IBR) to strengthen team-based care and improve real-time alignment at the bedside. By enhancing shared understanding with the unified care team early in the day, IBR reduces downstream pages and the need for clarifying messages, allowing clinicians to spend more time on direct patient care.

Brad L. Meyer. CEO of Bluestem Health (Lincoln, N.E.): Our main challenge is rising care needs paired with fewer available clinician hours. This issue goes beyond retirements or burnout. Many of our experienced clinicians are choosing to reduce their hours or move from full-time to part-time roles. As a result, even when staffing numbers appear steady, our actual capacity to deliver care is declining. We want to retain these clinicians, but the shift in work patterns creates challenges in recruiting full-time staff and clinicians, allocating room space, and maintaining efficient operations.

In response, we are adjusting our staffing approach rather than waiting for the traditional full-time model to return. We are focusing on total clinical hours rather than headcount alone, redesigning care teams to improve collaboration, offering flexible scheduling options, and reducing administrative burden. While this requires change that not everyone is comfortable with, these efforts aim to maintain access and quality by aligning our workforce model with how our clinicians want to practice today.

Tommi Cline, DNP, RN. Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Hillsboro (Ill.) Health: Workforce challenges continue to plague healthcare. While new research shows that nursing shortages are on the decline, we are seeing difficulties with retention. I am speaking specifically in the rural setting. Rural facilities are competing for the same finite set of resources as some of the larger, urban organizations. These facilities often aren’t able to pay as competitively as some others. We also struggle to offer some other incentives, such as flexible scheduling. Small organizations don’t have traditional float pools to pull resources from, nor do they have various departments to compensate for gaps in staffing. These are top of mind as the CNO of a critical access hospital.

Monica N. Wharton. Executive Vice President and COO of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare (Memphis, Tenn.): One of the biggest workforce challenges I anticipate this year is simply keeping and growing the talented people who make our mission possible, especially as competition for healthcare workers continues to intensify. At Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, we’re leaning into this by strengthening our internal programs designed to give our associates real opportunities to develop, advance, and see a long‑term future with us. We’re also putting even more emphasis on employee engagement. We know when our people feel supported and connected, everything from staff retention to patient care gets better. At the same time, we’re broadening our recruitment efforts to reach new and more diverse talent pools. All of these pieces work together to help us build a more stable, committed workforce ready to meet our community’s needs for years to come.

Chris Van Gorder. President and CEO of Scripps Health (San Diego): From a workplace perspective, I think maintaining our culture and affordability at the same time. 

As you know, health systems, including Scripps Health are still managing the impacts of the pandemic, inflation in labor and supply costs, and a workforce that expects more from its employer. At the same time, reimbursement, especially from government payers, Medicare and Medicaid has not kept pace. On top of that, we anticipate that Scripps will see a decline in revenue of at least $100 million annually from the impacts of HR-1 (the BBB) and the expirations of the ACA subsidies. 

At Scripps, we’re preparing in several ways.

We are working hard to sustain the special culture we have developed over the past 25 years. We believe people will stay where they feel respected, supported, and heard. We continue to invest in frontline leader development with our leadership academies – The Scripps Leadership Academy for managers and above, our Frontline Leader Academy for supervisors, and our Employee 100 program for frontline employees.

Second, we continue to invest in our physician leadership, engagement, and alignment through our Scripps Physician Leadership Cabinet (PLC) and our dyad leadership model of Physician Operations Executives (POE’s).

Third, we are building stronger internal pipelines growing our own nurses, techs and leaders through education partnerships, scholarships, internal training programs, and career pathways to create growth opportunities for our employees while reducing reliance on premium labor created when using outside registries and travelers.

Fourth, we are paying attention to well-being and employee safety. We established a community Hospital Workplace Violence Task Force with the District Attorney, City Attorney, law enforcement agencies, and other health systems to address a growing problem. In addition, we continue to strengthen well-being programs and support for our employees during crises through our Employee Assistance Program psychologists, Work Life Services Program, Human Resources and other departments who are part of what we call our Employee Crisis Protocol.

Finally, we are addressing needed changes in our operations using our Scripps Management System (SMS) which redesigns work from the frontlines up. The best people who know how to improve operations and processes are the staff who perform the work. This program has evolved over the years from earlier versions called “Value by Design” and our “Model Care Program.” The Scripps Management System will help us address the operational and process redesigns that will be required in the future due to the reductions in reimbursement and market changes.

Robin Damschroder. Executive Vice President, CFO and President of Value Based Enterprise at Henry Ford Health (Detroit): This year, one of the most pressing workforce challenges we face is sustaining workforce agility amid continued labor shortages and rising labor costs. The total cost of labor represents roughly half of our expenses, making even small inefficiencies financially significant. The challenge is balancing sufficient staffing to prioritize high-quality care and safety and reduce staff burnout, while avoiding overstaffing that drives unnecessary cost. At Henry Ford Health, we are strengthening our enterprisewide workforce management and planning capabilities to better align staffing with real-time demand and patient acuity. In addition, we are augmenting our staffing capabilities through the automation of work and AI tools to reduce burden, improve productivity, and increase team engagement.

Katrina Pfeiffer. Chief Nursing Information Officer of Penn Medicine (Philadelphia): The most pressing workforce challenge I see heading into 2026, and frankly indefinitely, is the uncompromising pace of change in healthcare. As a CNIO, I don’t just see change as new technology implementation; I see it in evolving evidence-based practices, shifting regulatory expectations, new care delivery models, and the day-to-day reality of supporting a multigenerational workforce. What makes this especially difficult is the level of ambiguity we are living in—people do not just resist change, they struggle with the constant unknown that surrounds it. The volume and speed of these shifts can create real fatigue for our teams, especially clinical nurses who are already balancing ever-increasing complex patient care needs.

In our health system, we are focusing more intentionally on strengthening how we manage change together and reducing unnecessary uncertainty wherever we can. We rely heavily on shared governance structures and the expertise of bedside nurses to guide decisions, particularly when technology or workflow is involved. Their insight grounds our strategy in what is practical, safe, and sustainable for real clinical environments. My priority is ensuring nurses feel heard, prepared, and supported so that change is something they help shape rather than something that simply happens to them.

Neil Roy, MD. Vice President of Diagnostic and Operative Services and Chief Medical Officer at Adventist HealthCare (Gaithersburg, Md.): I anticipate that our most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 will be strengthening and sustaining our physician pipeline while keeping the physicians we already have engaged and energized. Recruitment is important, but just as important is creating an environment where people genuinely want to stay and grow. For us, that means being intentional about connection and community through wellness dinners, group outings and sports events, lunches with the C-suite, a focused retreat for our medical executive committee, and shared conference experiences. Connecting with each other makes our daily work that much more enjoyable. At the same time, we are investing in technology that makes daily work easier, from smarter scheduling processes to ambient AI tools that reduce documentation burden. If we can combine strong relationships with practical workflow improvements, I’m confident we’ll be in a much better position to retain talent and build the next generation of physician leaders.

Dan Hackner, MD. Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical and Academic Officer at Southcoast Health System (New Bedford, Mass.): At Southcoast, coming off the pandemic which accelerated turnover of workforce across the country, the most pressing workforce challenge was hiring. Despite rising labor costs and shortages in technicians and professionals, we surpassed year-over-year net practitioner and staff hiring goals, achieved low avoidable turnover, and grew the medical staff over 20%. All the while, we maintained our high standards of patient care and service, and in 2025 Southcoast Health earned the NRC Award for Patient Experience in community systems. 

We are now facing a new pressing workforce challenge in 2026: how do we sustain the pace and address rising complexity for new and enduring staff facing unrelenting increases in case volumes and patient mix? How do we keep our workforce well, thriving, and productive?

Our thrive approach is multileveled and aimed at building resilience. First, we are committed to clinical leadership and leadership development. From role clarification, respect for clinical scope, leadership training to empowerment — clinical leadership facilitates individual career progression and keeps the growing talent in our system.

Second, we are committed to deep collaboration on strategies such as wellbeing. Human resources, volunteer services, digital health, and service excellence colleagues partner with physicians, advanced practitioners, and nursing leaders in the inpatient, procedural and ambulatory spaces to advance efforts around work-life balance, mentoring and joy in the workplace. We have seen marked impact from the ANCC Pathway to Excellence designations as well as home grown efforts such as our Stronger Together peer support program and dynamic patient and family advisory councils built in collaboration with the Betsy Lehman Center. 

Lastly, to achieve workforce sustainability in clinical areas, we have added educational and enrichment opportunities from employee resource groups such as our More Valor veterans group to medical student rotations and advance practitioner training. A not-for-profit community system committed to ‘advanced medicine – more care’ equally advances care for the workforce and for the community.

Stephen Motew, MD. President and CEO of UF Health (Gainesville, Fla.): One of the most pressing workforce challenges is the anticipated “Human-AI Synergy Gap” — the disconnect between the rapid deployment of agentic AI and the workforce’s ability to effectively integrate it. The last two years were characterized by experimenting with AI, and now we will start to see wholesale job redesign. 

Because we already have a culture of adopting technology, UF Health’s philosophy is to explore practical applications of AI to improve the health of the communities we serve.

As part of a preeminent public research university, our faculty, researchers and clinicians have collective access to HiPerGator, the most powerful university-owned and operated supercomputer in the nation. 

For example, our clinical teams can use technology to power digital twin programming to simulate thousands of patient care scenarios. We’ve been using this technology to improve ICU operations with promising initial outcomes. UF offers students more than 230 AI-related classes across campus.

The state of Florida has made significant investments to train and expand our workforce. This has enabled us to more than double the class size of the state’s highest-rated College of Nursing. As part of our agreement with the UF College of Nursing, UF Health can rotate nurses in our community hospitals as well as our academic health regional sites. This helps us consistently provide exceptional, AI-literate, compassionate care across our network. 

Christopher Newman, MD. President and CEO of Mary Washington Healthcare (Fredericksburg, Va.): We are in a war for talent. As one of the fastest growing regions in the country, Fredericksburg, Virginia’s rapid population growth has quickly outpaced the availability of licensed medical professionals, placing it in the second percentile of physicians per capita in the nation.

This leads to significant expense in contract labor across physicians and all licensed healthcare professionals.

To combat this, Mary Washington Healthcare is partnering with the University of Mary Washington to start a medical school that will create a permanent pipeline of physician talent coming into the market, with a specific goal of 70% or more physician graduates remaining in the region after graduation.

Incremental change alone will not be enough to solve the workforce problem. While we will build on the multiple graduate medical education programs already in place at Mary Washington Healthcare, we must lead transformational change to create a longstanding solution.

Michele Szkolnicki, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center: The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 will continue to be the widening gap between the level of skill our care delivery models require and the talent available in the marketplace. Workforce shortages are no longer defined by vacancy rates alone. They are being driven by the accelerated retirement of seasoned clinicians, persistent burnout, and the rapid evolution of technology that is reshaping clinical practice.

At the same time, labor cost pressures are intensifying. Labor inflation will not slow, so we are aligning our workforce strategy closely with organizational financial stewardship. A key part of this work is engaging our people leaders to focus not only on efficiency, but also on value generation. Improving performance in areas such as length of stay, preventing avoidable readmissions, and ensuring documentation accurately reflects patient acuity directly strengthens reimbursement and supports long‑term sustainability.

To meet these challenges head on, we are redesigning our internal education infrastructure to accelerate upskilling, particularly in clinical documentation, digital literacy, financial acumen, reimagined care models, and both high‑acuity and flexible, cross‑functional competencies. We are strengthening leadership development to ensure our people leaders are equipped to guide teams through rapid change. As AI‑enabled tools and digital technologies become further embedded in care delivery, we expect to leverage richer, more actionable insights that support better, more timely clinical, operational, and workforce decisions.

This integrated approach positions us to stabilize today’s workforce, as well as shape the workforce we will need for the future.

Mitchell H. Rosner, MD. CEO of UVA Health (Charlottesville, Va.); Executive Vice President of Health Affairs at University of Virginia: The most pressing workforce challenge we anticipate in 2026 is not simply staffing shortages, but preparing a future‑ready workforce amid sustained clinical demand, rapid technological change, and intensifying competition for talent across healthcare and biotechnology. Health systems are caring for patients with increasing complexity of conditions while integrating new tools into care delivery — all while addressing burnout and retention. At UVA Health, we feel a responsibility to strengthen workforce development across a continuum that includes entry into healthcare careers, clinical and technical advancement, and leadership readiness. 

To meet this challenge, we are investing deliberately across that spectrum. Regionally, UVA is a core partner in the Virginia Center for Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, a public‑private collaboration building the nation’s largest advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing workforce training network. This initiative is expected to produce thousands of highly skilled professionals while strengthening Virginia’s science and biotechnology ecosystem and long‑term economic competitiveness. Within UVA Health, we continue expanding programs like Earn While You Learn, which provides paid, benefitted training pathways into high‑demand clinical and allied health roles. We have already experienced immediate staffing stability in several disciplines. Through our Health Leadership Institute, we are developing future leaders through cross‑disciplinary learning focused on leading self, teams, and complex health systems. Together, these efforts reflect our belief that the most sustainable workforce strategy is one that cultivates talent and leadership from within, aligns education with real‑world needs, and keeps patients and people who care for them at the center of everything we do.

Peggy Duggan, MD. Executive Vice President, Chief Physician Executive, and Chief Medical Officer of Tampa General Hospital (Fla.): In my opinion, a key workforce challenge for healthcare organizations this year is retaining highly skilled, compassionate staff while maintaining a strong focus on resilience and enhancing workplace satisfaction. 

As an academic health system, Tampa General is proud to have ever-evolving programs that provide our team members and medical staff with professional development opportunities and mentorship from leaders. We also offer resources that support mental health and help them connect with and get to know their colleagues — regardless of department — in meaningful ways that strengthen not only the bonds they form, but our workplace, and that translates to a more resilient workforce and better patient care.

Ultimately, Tampa General has made impressive progress in these crucial areas and will always strive to strengthen its well-established culture where our caregivers feel valued and fully supported in a work environment where they can grow, be themselves in the process and thrive as people and professionals. Accomplishing this helps Tampa General realize its vision of becoming the safest and most innovative academic health system in America.

Nariman Heshmati, MD. Chief Physician and Operations Executive of Lee Physician Group (Fort Myers, FL): The most pressing workforce challenges in 2026 are the same themes we faced in 2025—continuing issues with burnout, staffing shortages, and sustainable labor costs. I’m excited that at Lee Health we laid a great deal of the groundwork last year to have a headstart addressing these challenges in 2026. We purchased memberships to the county medical society and to the American Medical Association for all of our physicians and rolled out numerous clinician wellness initiatives including signing up to do an AMA Organizational Biopsy to identify areas we can combat burnout. We also took a very proactive approach to assessing technology to find innovative ways to address workforce shortages and have multiple pilots coming online including LLMs that will use AI to automate certain patient calls. While the workforce challenges remain in 2026, there are more and more opportunities to address them than we have had in prior years.

Kurt Koczent, RN. Executive Vice President and COO of University of Rochester (N.Y.) – Thompson Health: Looking ahead to 2026, I anticipate that our most pressing workforce challenge will continue to be the recruitment and retention of our frontline team members, particularly entry-level technicians. We’ve observed a growing preference among this generation for part-time employment and a strong desire for rapid professional development, which presents a unique set of challenges compared to previous generations. However, it’s certainly not an insurmountable task.

To address this, our strategy focuses on both efficiency and cultural alignment. We’re emphasizing the importance of our hiring managers quickly contacting applicants and streamlining their entry into our system. Beyond just filling positions, we’re committed to ensuring that each new hire is a strong cultural fit for our organization. Once onboarded, we support our new associates through structured 30-, 60-, and 90-day meetings, a breakfast with our CEO within their first few months, and a formal mentoring program. We also dedicate time to help them understand and navigate their career progression, highlighting how healthcare, perhaps more than any other field, offers incredible opportunities for upward professional advancement. We have many inspiring stories of UR Thompson associates who have broken generational poverty cycles, and these leaders have been instrumental in retaining quality talent within our institution.

Ultimately, our goal extends beyond just retention. Our CEO and the entire leadership team firmly believe that a satisfied associate directly contributes to higher patient satisfaction scores. To continuously improve as employers, we conduct annual associate surveys. Each year, we’ve seen our employee satisfaction rankings rise, which demonstrates that we are actively listening to feedback and that our improvements are making a tangible impact.

Molly Biwer. Chief Marketing Officer of Emory Healthcare (Atlanta): The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 will be sustaining a high-performing, engaged workforce amid accelerating change — including ongoing labor shortages in key clinical roles, rising burnout, new expectations around flexibility, and rapid advances in technology and AI that are reshaping how our work gets done.

At Emory Healthcare, we’re preparing for this by rethinking the workforce experience end-to-end, not just staffing models. Our focus is on three core areas.

First, retention through culture and purpose. We know people stay where they feel valued, supported, and connected to meaningful work. We are investing in leadership development, clearer career pathways, and a more people-centered employee experience—especially for frontline and early-career clinicians — so that Emory remains a place where people can grow, not just work.

Second, smart workforce enablement, particularly through digital and AI-enabled tools. We are intentionally deploying technology to reduce administrative burden, streamline workflows, and give clinicians back time for patient care and teaching. The goal is not to replace people, but to let them focus on the human work that matters most.

Third, building a more agile and future-ready workforce. That means strengthening our internal talent pipeline, investing in upskilling and reskilling, and designing teams that are more flexible and interdisciplinary. We are also being more disciplined about aligning roles, capacity, and skills to where demand is actually growing — both clinically and operationally.

Ultimately, our view is that the workforce challenge of 2026 is not just about having enough people — it’s about creating the conditions where people can do their best work, stay engaged, and adapt with the organization as healthcare continues to evolve. That is the lens through which we are preparing now.

Lisa Hudnall. Chief of Human Resources of UVA Physicians Group (Charlottesville, Va.): The challenge: AI-driven workforce transformation and skills adaptation.

As chief of human resources for the University of Virginia Physicians Group (UPG), I anticipate our most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 will be managing the rapid integration of AI and automation while simultaneously upskilling our workforce and maintaining the human-centered care that defines us.

This isn’t simply about technology adoption, it’s about fundamentally reimagining roles, preventing workforce displacement anxiety, and ensuring our people evolve alongside our capabilities.

A few ways we at UPG are preparing for this transformation include: rigorous skills mapping and reskilling to future proof our workforce; thoughtfully redefining roles rather than eliminating them; leading with transparency; and anchoring all of this in a strong sense of purpose to drive engagement and retention.

Muhammad Siddiqui. Vice President and CIO of Reid Health (Richmond, Ind.): As we move through 2026, the most pressing workforce challenge I see is caregiver fatigue. An aging population and rising patient complexity keep the work intense, while reimbursement is not keeping up and many of us are operating with negative margins, so every decision carries more weight. At Reid Health, we are focused on taking friction out of the day and giving time back to our caregivers through smart automation and practical optimization. We have quickly deployed ambient documentation for both providers and nursing, and it is already helping reduce charting time and the mental load while improving documentation quality. We are also using smart room capabilities and better data on patient flow and acuity to support safer, faster decisions and avoid overloading teams. Just as important, we are being thoughtful with new tools, making sure they fit naturally into care and earn clinician trust. I believe the systems that succeed will be the ones that keep the caregiver at the center and make each shift more manageable and more sustainable over time.

Marie Langley. CEO of Desert Valley Medical Group (Victorville, Calif.): One of the most pressing workforce challenges we anticipate in 2026 is the continued increase in mandated minimum wages for healthcare workers in California. While rising wages are necessary to keep pace with the region’s escalating cost of living and to provide meaningful opportunities for individuals entering the workforce, they also create significant wage compression for experienced staff who have invested years in developing their skills and expertise.

These increases impact nearly all entry-level positions and present a complex leadership challenge — balancing fairness, retention, and morale for tenured employees while managing the financial implications of rising labor costs. These pressures are further compounded by declining or stagnant professional reimbursement rates.

To address this, we are proactively reviewing compensation structures, investing in career progression and professional development opportunities, and identifying operational efficiencies to help offset rising labor expenses. Our goal is to remain competitive, equitable, and financially sustainable while continuing to support and invest in our workforce.

Peter D. Banko. President and CEO of Baystate Health (Springfield, Mass.): Baystate is going to double down on strengthening our leadership capacity and capabilities (at all levels) to meet our most pressing workforce challenges. Gallup’s State of the American Manager report tells us that one in two employees have left a job to get away from a manager. Their research also demonstrates that leaders account for 70% of the variance in team member, physician and provider engagement. People leave their boss and their team, not their organization. Our greatest workforce opportunity is to support, coach, mentor, develop and equip our leaders (and hold them accountable). We know that when we do that effectively that work environment, engagement, retention and overall performance improvement quickly follow.

Dorinda Mueller, MSN, RN. CEO of Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health (Aliso Viejo, Calif.): Staffing, staffing, staffing. As regulations evolve and reimbursement stalls, there is still a need for qualified and dedicated frontline staff. Healthcare providers are set up in a competitive market and are now consumers for employment. Acute psychiatric hospital staffing is now facing state mandates in California to increase the nurse-to-patient ratios. As a result, the retention of existing staff emerges as competitors offer enticing ‘join us’ campaigns. Our health system is using this time to align with local academic institutions to build partnerships that foster new graduate training and support that will provide a mutually beneficial outcome as new recruits feel supported in their first healthcare role and the hospital is supported by new eager applicants. These partnerships require the hospital to review existing student clinical rotations and student experiences in order to showcase what employment can look like as well. All in all the focus really is to ensure a strong hospital mission that is interwoven in all of the aspects of your facility to ensure a sustainable future for employees, employers, and the community we serve.

Mark G. Moseley, MD. President of USF Tampa General Physicians; Executive Vice President of Tampa General Hospital (Fla.): One of the most pressing workforce challenges for healthcare in 2026 is keeping our people focused during a time of great uncertainty. That uncertainty, and matters beyond the control of the individual, can lead to frustration, distraction, and a perceived loss of agency to influence outcomes. But hope is not lost! We believe that the best approach to combat this is by strengthening our relationships with each other. We encourage each other and render mutual aid. We build trust through the consistency of our communication and interactions. We rally to the priorities of our organization for the good of those we serve. Our strengthened relationships can then bolster us as we attempt to solve the problems of the day that lack easy solutions. Our enhanced sense of belonging bonds us closer together, as we connect to the significance of our work. There are many valid strategic tactics in our industry aimed at aligning people, processes, and technology. But the true strength of our “workforce” in healthcare is our people. Our relationships. And being on this journey together. That’s our focus in the coming year.

Tesa Anewishki. President and CEO of Loretto Hospital (Chicago): The core issues for community health systems are structural and layered. Our ability to retain and grow a mission-driven workforce while demand for care continues to rise, operational costs significantly increase, and resources are subtracted is difficult. Across the country, healthcare workers at safety-net hospitals are asked to do more with less, all while addressing complex medical and social needs that don’t end when a patient leaves the hospital. Our hospitals are tasked to deliver acute care, behavioral health, public health, and social services to patients regardless of the ability to pay. Yet we are funded primarily through an outdated reimbursement model tied to volume – not complexity or necessity. This creates a chronic gap between mission, system alignment, and workforce funding. We believe the antidotes for communities in crisis are access and investment. Predominately located in asset deficient communities, more resources are needed for community hospitals, not just equal. At Loretto Hospital, our preparation starts with a redesigned care model that treats the whole patient – allowing our teams to implement patient-centered practices for more cohesive, thoughtful impact. Innovative practices increase engagement and retention, fostering greater skill development and enhanced productivity. We need funding for workforce development and reinvestment into our team members.

JohnRich R. Levine, DNP, MSN. Chief Nursing Officer of Reeves Regional Health (Pecos, Texas): In 2026, the most pressing workforce challenge for our health system will be sustaining experienced bedside nurses while building a strong leadership bench in a rural market. At Reeves Regional Health, we serve a vast geographic region with a small population base, which places a premium on every RN, tech, and charge nurse. We are preparing by investing in structured cross-training, a formal Charge RN Leadership Program, and a clear clinical ladder that rewards growth and retention. We have aligned scheduling practices with acuity data and strengthened shared governance, so frontline voices shape operational decisions. We are also deepening partnerships with regional schools and creating early exposure pathways for high school and nursing students who want to practice close to home. Workforce stability in 2026 will belong to organizations that develop their own talent and make daily work meaningful, and that is the path we are taking.

Emily Moorhead. President of Macomb Market at Henry Ford Health (Detroit): The most pressing workforce challenge we face is the epidemic of aggression toward healthcare workers. Nearly every day, staff experience verbal, physical, and/or sexual threats or abuse. Safety at work should be a given. If this is not addressed proactively, healthcare will continue to lose dedicated professionals, and fewer people will choose to enter the field at all, which will only worsen an already critical workforce shortage. At my organization, we have made workplace violence prevention a strategic and operational imperative. We are enforcing zero-tolerance policies, using administrative discharge when appropriate, partnering with local law enforcement, and ensuring staff have access to legal and mental health support after an incident to ensure consequences for those who abuse healthcare workers. Keeping our campuses safe is not only the right thing to do, but also a workforce imperative.

Heather Resseger, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President, Chief Hospital Operations Officer and Chief Nursing Officer of NorthBay Health (San Francisco): One of the most pressing healthcare workforce challenges in 2026 will be intensified competition for healthcare professionals — for example respiratory, physical, occupational, and speech therapists — at a time when demand continues to outpace the pipeline of new graduates. While the need for clinicians across all disciplines remains high, educational programs are not expanding quickly enough to meet workforce demands.

In response, our health system is taking a multi-pronged approach. We are focused on strengthening partnerships with academic institutions to expand clinical placements and create stronger recruitment pathways. At the same time, we are intentionally balancing the mix of newly licensed clinicians with experienced professionals to avoid dilution of practice and ensure high-quality, evidence-based care. Structured onboarding, mentorship programs, and competency development are key strategies to support both groups.

We are also closely monitoring market trends to remain competitive in pay and benefits while maintaining financial stewardship. This requires thoughtful workforce planning to align staffing models with community needs and reimbursement realities.

Finally, we are investing in our communities by creating career pathways, scholarships, and workforce development programs that encourage local students to pursue careers in healthcare. By building and retaining talent from within our communities, we strengthen both our workforce and the long-term health of the populations we serve.

Wayne Gillis. President and CEO of Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services (Gallup, N.M.): As we look toward 2026, the most pressing workforce challenge will be the combination of an insufficient supply of qualified providers and clinical staff and the continued administrative weight of EHR documentation. Demand for care continues to rise while retirements, workforce fatigue, and limited training pipelines constrain supply, particularly in rural and underserved markets. At the same time, documentation expectations — influenced by regulatory requirements such as the 21st Century Cures Act and reporting standards tied to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — have expanded the cognitive load on clinicians, pulling valuable time away from direct patient care. 

These pressures are interconnected; when staffing is tight and administrative tasks grow, burnout accelerates. In response, our focus is not simply on recruitment, but on redesigning care delivery so team members work at the top of their license, strengthening internal workforce pipelines, standardizing documentation to remove non-value-added work, and leveraging technology thoughtfully to reduce clicks rather than add them. 

Ultimately, the real issue is sustainability. Healthcare must become a profession where talented people can thrive long term, and that requires disciplined operational execution, process improvement, and a willingness to redesign the work itself rather than asking caregivers to carry an ever-increasing burden. 

Jonathan Rogg, MD. Vice President and Chief Quality Officer of Houston Methodist Hospital: The most pressing workforce challenge is recruiting highly qualified staff, both physicians and nurses. Success in healthcare not only relies on clinical skills, of which many recent graduates had some limitations during the peak of COVID-19, but also on the ability to integrate skills with emerging technologies. As a system, we are looking to integrate technologies that both extend our workforce’s capabilities and improve quality.

Jamie Wiggins, PhD, RN. Executive Vice President and COO of Arkansas Children’s (Little Rock): At Arkansas Children’s, the most pressing workforce challenge we anticipate is sustaining a skilled, engaged pediatric workforce in an increasingly competitive and constrained labor market. In response, we are taking a comprehensive, multi-year approach across our talent management ecosystem rather than relying on traditional recruitment alone. We have leveraged artificial intelligence and automation to streamline candidate selection, improve speed and experience, and stay connected with qualified candidates who are not selected on their first attempt. We are also strengthening early-career retention through enhanced onboarding, manager readiness, and first-year support, recognizing the direct connection between workforce stability, safety, and patient experience. Through ongoing employee listening, we have enhanced benefits and leave programs—including Compassion Leave and extended Parental Bonding Leave—to better support our predominantly female workforce across all stages of life and career. In parallel, we actively engage with high schools, universities, and community partners to expand awareness of the many pathways into Arkansas Children’s and to build durable talent pipelines. To address anticipated shortages in pediatric subspecialists, we are investing in education and development pathways that allow us to grow our own physician workforce where possible. As the state’s only pediatric health system with a strong regional presence, we are uniquely positioned to attract mission-driven talent committed to advancing pediatric care, research, and clinical excellence.

June Scarlett. Chief of Patient Access at White Plains Hospital (N.Y.): New York Times Article Feb 11, 2026 “U.S. Hiring Starts the Year at a Strong Pace

The unemployment rate fell to 4.3 percent and the economy added 130,000 jobs in January. The gains were powered, once again, by health care.”

While today’s headline is overwhelmingly positive, it does present a unique challenge. Attracting staff who are genuinely committed to healthcare rather than motivated primarily by financial gain is one of the many workforce obstacles we are facing in 2026. 

People who enter the field out of a sense of purpose tend to bring empathy, patience, and resilience to demanding environments. Their commitment often translates into better patient experiences, stronger teamwork, and a more positive organizational culture. Over the past couple of decades, identifying such individuals has been increasingly difficult since healthcare has emerged as a lucrative career option. Outside of building or partnering with educational institutions dedicated to allied health programs, we are focusing on retaining talent who demonstrate a commitment to excellence AND concern for the individual. When staff are driven by mission rather than money, they are more likely to stay engaged during stressful periods and adapt to the evolving needs of our patients. 

Physicians are expected to not only take, but abide by, the Hippocratic Oath throughout their career. This intrinsic motivation also supports higher ethical standards, as decisions are guided by care quality rather than personal benefit. Should all healthcare professionals, whether in sanitation, administration, etc., similarly swear to uphold such ethical principles? Ultimately, a healthcare system grounded in purpose-driven professionals is better equipped to deliver consistent, humane, and trustworthy care. 

Dawn Rock-Tremble. Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer of Encompass Health (Birmingham, Ala.): Staff stability should be top of mind in this current climate. Even at this very early stage in AI’s healthcare lifespan, many are questioning its impact on future job markets. With its rapid and largely unchecked growth throughout the healthcare sector, AI can quickly upend the industry, leading to staff burnout and increased workforce shortages, further encumbering an already burdened system. To minimize staff churn in these uncertain times – the preemptive response of a workforce that sees the proverbial writing on the wall, in particular – leaders should thoughtfully consider and plan for staffing impacts at every stage of the project’s implementation – not just when it’s fully operational. Identify and implement staff retention plans early. And be prepared to pivot; cross-train existing staff for continuing or future roles, repurpose defunct positions if feasible, or find other meaningful ways to minimize the workforce impact while adopting technological advances. 

Ngozi Ezike, MD. President and CEO of Sinai Chicago: At Sinai Chicago, we are focused on shifting our workforce to become more innovative, focused on engineering thought toward solutions to the complex and consistent challenges facing our safety net hospital system. While we are continually concerned with finding ways to strategically contain and control costs, when it comes to workforce initiatives, it’s not about reducing people, but finding ways to provide both incentive and recognition for our frontline caregivers, as well as our leaders and managers. They are in the best position to come up with ideas for both large and small scale solutions that can have substantive impact across units, departments and the system as a whole. This is critical to our continued ability to provide access to quality compassionate care for the people we serve.

Adriana A. Guzman. Chief Information Officer of Loretto Hospital (Chicago): For Loretto Hospital, the most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 is retaining and up-skilling a mission‑driven workforce in a highly competitive Chicago labor market. We’re addressing this by building our‑own talent pool, strengthening retention through innovation and accountability, investing in digital and clinical upskilling, expanding behavioral health competencies, and deepening community partnerships. Our goal is a stable, resilient workforce that reflects and serves our community with excellence.

Jason Moulding. Chief Supply Chain Officer of MultiCare Health System (Tacoma, Wash.): Workforce challenges continue to be in the forefront of my mind and those challenges are ever-evolving. The consistent challenges have been engagement and retention, especially as it relates to our virtual team members. Our back office professionals are mostly off site and work from home, with several of them out of state too. Keeping that team engaged and energized is fun, but also a challenge. Change fatigue and burnout is also a concern. Supply chain has gotten exponentially complex since COVID-19, and I believe that’s the new normal. Dealing with geopolitical impacts, allocations, and natural disasters that impact the global supply chain does take a toll. Implementing technologies and processes that help remove this friction has been important for our team. Finally, AI-anxiety and role redesign to lean in on AI is a reality that I want our teams to lean in on. Our goal is to be accessible, relevant, and essential to our organization, so if AI can help our supply chain team operate at the top of their license and be a strategic partner to our stakeholders, that would be a worthwhile endeavor.

Amy E. Lee. President and Chief Operating Officer of Nantucket Cottage Hospital (Mass.): The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 for Nantucket Cottage Hospital and many rural hospitals will be sustaining a stable, year-round clinical workforce in the face of housing constraints, burnout, and rising care complexity, while also meeting the needs of a highly seasonal and transient population. At its core, this is about caring for the people who care for our community. Our team members are our greatest resource, and everything we do begins with supporting them.

At NCH, we are approaching this challenge through a people-centered strategy. We are investing in workforce housing and community partnerships, expanding telehealth and tele-specialty models to ease onsite staffing pressure and allow clinicians to spend more time doing what they do best, and strengthening local pipelines through school-to-career pathways and clinical training programs. We are also deepening our seasonal care coordination model to reflect Nantucket’s unique dynamics, with dedicated coordination for seasonal residents, medically complex residents without a primary care provider, and visitors; proactive connections to home PCPs and specialists; shared care plans in the electronic record; and structured handoffs at arrival and departure to prevent gaps in medications, chronic disease management, and follow-up care.

Equally important, we are working closely with community partners on workforce development and ongoing patient support, recognizing that much of rural care happens outside the four walls of the hospital. Together, these efforts are designed to stabilize today’s workforce, honor and support the people who make care possible, and build a flexible, resilient rural care model for the future.

Nicole Fox, MD. Associate Chief Medical Officer and Medical Director of Pediatric Trauma at Cooper University Health Care (Camden, N.J.): The most pressing workforce challenges in 2026 are the intertwined issues of staffing shortages and clinician burnout. As clinical demands are increasing, the number of clinicians leaving the workforce is also increasing and the statistics are concerning. In 2026, the U.S. could lose 96,000 FTE physicians. In addition, 55% of healthcare workers report that they are considering leaving their job within the next year. This is unsustainable and it is imperative that healthcare systems are laser focused on recruitment, retention and clinician satisfaction. This can be approached from many angles, including leveraging AI to increase efficiency and decrease the demands of charting which have been directly linked to burnout. Health systems must invest in programs like strategic on-boarding as well as interventions such as peer support and coaching to promote career longevity. Finally, it is important to offer opportunities for ongoing professional development so that clinicians can grow in their career and diversify their professional portfolio. This could include opportunities to further their education, acquire a new skill or become more involved at the system level through a committee, taskforce or leadership role.

Brian Sponseller, MD. CEO of Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center (Hartsville, S.C.): I’d say one of the biggest challenges we’re looking at right now is recruiting critical roles – especially imaging techs like CT, MRI, and ultrasound, along with nurses and CRNAs. The talent pool in those areas is just tight right now.

For us, the long-term approach is what we’re focusing on investing in the future workforce right here in our community. An example of that is our partnership with Coker University’s nursing program. Students actually use our Sim Lab as their classroom, getting hands-on experience in a real hospital setting. We see that as a win for everyone; it strengthens their training, lets our teams build those relationships early, and creates a natural pipeline of talent that already understands how we work here.

We also partner with local technical schools and offer healthcare scholarships. At the end of the day, it’s about growing our own and keeping great healthcare professionals right here at home.

Jochen Reiser, MD, PhD. President of The University of Texas Medical Branch; CEO of UTMB Health (Galveston, Texas): UTMB, like other health systems in Texas, has a pressing need for more nurses and clinical support staff (e.g., medical assistants) to meet ongoing and growing patient demand.

Workforce trends regarding UTMB’s faculty group practice include declining numbers not only in certain pediatric subspecialties but also in some general other fields. This reality increases competition for recruitment and is requiring widening of our recruitment pools across the nation. In return, it’s no longer enough to be the institution of choice in-state but instead we need to also be competitive on a national stage which includes a focus on research and innovation. 

Arsalan Sheikh, DO. Chief Medical Officer of Cecil Campus at ChristianaCare (Newark, Del.): A pressing workforce challenge is physicians retiring or leaving clinical practice, especially specialists, and not enough to replace them and particularly in rural areas. This has been coming up slowly through the years as there has been an appropriate focus on primary care; but, as specialists, such as endocrinologists, rheumatologists, non-invasive cardiologists retire or others that prefer to work less than full-time to be with their families, decrease we end up seeing long wait times to be seen by a specialist, leading to avoidable ED and hospital utilization and delays in post discharge follow ups. This also puts more pressure on primary care physicians and providers to be more informed in managing complex medical patients. Our population is living longer requiring more complex care and the need for specialists. Our health system is trying to work with primary care physicians and providers to seek specialists after basic work up, asking for clinical guidance early on instead of referring, and sending patients back to primary care to continue specialty based clinical management once the patient is stable. There is an overall shortage of physicians and now we are also seeing a shortage in specific fields.

Vi-Anne Antrum. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of Cone Health (Greensboro, N.C.): Our biggest workforce challenge in 2026 will be balancing employee wellbeing with all the organizational change and transition we need to accomplish. This will mean ensuring a strong, relationship-based culture that uses transparent communication; affording time for teams to participate in shaping how we implement our strategic imperatives and making sure they understand why the change is necessary; and keeping the human experience at the center of it all. The work we undertake should make things easier for our patients, consumers, team members, and providers to provide and/or receive care. If we are not reducing complexity for these groups, we are introducing additional burden and cognitive load.

Our preparation starts with a clear vision of where we are going and a focused strategy to get there. All changes are in support of that strategy and are coordinated through our operating model. Communication is multimodal and consistent through cascading channels. Support through training, education, and protected time are built into the process. Shared governance is leveraged to have the people who do the work help shape the process! Finally, we will celebrate the wins along the way and learn from our failures as a normal part of the change process. Having that degree of psychological safety and clarity is necessary to build a cathedral versus carving a stone.

Simon Nazarian. Chief Digital and Technology Officer of City of Hope (Duarte, Calif.): The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 will be sustaining and developing talent amid rapid technological change and continued pressure on healthcare teams. As AI, automation and data-driven care become more embedded in clinical, research and operational environments, health systems will need professionals who can adapt quickly while staying grounded in mission-driven care.

At City of Hope, we’re addressing this challenge by deliberately balancing immediate workforce needs with longer-term talent development. We’re applying AI-enabled tools and automation to help teams operate more efficiently today, while freeing capacity to invest in building future expertise. In parallel, we’re focused on developing leaders who can grow alongside advancing technologies and evolving care models. This approach supports our mission-driven, patient-centered culture while strengthening the workforce capabilities needed for the years ahead.

Sunil Dadlani. Executive Vice President, Chief Information & Digital Officer and Chief Cyber Security Officer of Atlantic Health System (Morristown, N.J.): The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 will not be headcount. It will be capacity, capability and trust.

We are approaching AI and digital transformation as a workforce strategy, not a technology rollout. That means investing early in digital fluency across clinicians, leaders, and frontline teams so new tools feel intuitive rather than disruptive.

We are also intentionally redesigning roles and workflows so automation reduces cognitive burden and administrative load instead of adding complexity. Just as important, we are being explicit about where human judgment, accountability, and clinical decision making must always remain central, which helps build trust and supports sustainable adoption.

Jenny Collopy. Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of The Christ Hospital Health Network (Cincinnati): One of the most pressing workforce challenges we see heading into 2026 is the growing disconnect between what it costs to deliver care and what we are paid to provide that care. Wages for healthcare workers must continue to increase so team members can keep up with inflation, support their families, and manage the rising cost of living. At the same time, inflation continues to outpace what payers are willing to reimburse for healthcare services. That imbalance puts real pressure on health systems and forces difficult tradeoffs.

At The Christ Hospital Health Network, we’re addressing this head-on through our Forward 2.0 operational improvement plan. Forward 2.0 is focused on improving performance, eliminating inefficiencies, and redesigning care so our teams can work at the top of their license — allowing us to reinvest in our people while protecting access, quality, and affordability for our patients.

Equally important is our Team Member Value Proposition, grounded in our belief of ‘everything it takes for everyone to thrive.’ That means creating an environment where team members feel valued, have clear pathways for growth and mobility, are recognized and rewarded for excellence, and feel genuinely connected to our mission. Building a strong culture of engagement and loyalty is one of the most important drivers of retention, and it’s a commitment we take seriously as we navigate the workforce challenges ahead.

Anthony Chang, MD. Chief Intelligence and Innovation Officer of CHOC Children’s (Orange, Calif.): I think the most challenging workforce issue is ultrasound technicians. There are no AI solutions as yet although these may come in the near future. 

Denver Hopkins. Chief Human Resources Officer of Cape Fear Valley Health System (Fayetteville, N.C.): Two of the most pressing workforce challenges for our health system will continue to be filling niche / hard to fill roles, and retention. As a regional health system in eastern North Carolina roles such as interventional radiology technician, cath lab technician, EP technician, CT technician continue to be ‘hard to fill’, however we have not taken a ‘post and pray’ approach to filling these roles, we are proactive in growing our own. Through continued meaningful strategic partnerships with our local community colleges and universities, county school board, county workforce development task force and other philanthropic opportunities we are able to create internal programs that allow us the ability to continue to grow the pipeline. While we have experienced success, what is top of mind for me as the chief human resources officer is sustaining that success. Secondly, retention will continue to be a focus. Our ability to adapt with the needs and desires of our teammates is non-negotiable. We must continue to be amenable to growth opportunities, flexible work scheduling and supporting a culture that speaks to the whole human being. While we have challenges similar to other health systems, I am encouraged by our progress and grateful for our team members who show up daily as selfless caregivers caring for our community.

Sham Firdausi. Deputy CFO of County of Santa Clara Health System (San Jose, Calif.): The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 is the gap between what finance teams are expected to deliver and what they’re actually trained to do. Healthcare finance used to be about closing books and managing budgets. Now we’re expected to be strategic advisors on AI investments, payer contract negotiations, and regulatory impacts that didn’t exist two years ago. Most finance professionals weren’t hired or developed for that scope. Early in my career, I realized the only way to be effective in provider finance was to understand how payers think, which is why I spent time on both sides before moving into health system leadership.

At Santa Clara County, we’re addressing this by treating finance development like clinical training. Partnering with other system leaders, I am bringing my finance, supply chain, and revenue cycle 101 framework to give staff the full operational picture, not just their narrow function. We’re also restructuring around expertise rather than hierarchy, so people build real strategic capability instead of just moving up org charts. The four hospital system gives our teams exposure to complexity most finance professionals never see.

Healthcare moved faster than workforce development kept up. We’re building capabilities internally through strong partnership across the organization, which means every finance role needs to be both technical and strategic from day one.

Stephanie Everett. Administrator of Mountrail Bethel Home; CEO of Mountrail County Medical Center (Stanley, N.D.): Since 2020, one of the biggest challenges we have faced is travel staffing and the lack of laws, guidelines and parameters, set-forth or in this case non-set-forth for travel companies.

Some solutions would be

1. Placing a cap on the amount of money travelers can charge facilities.
2. Reduce/cap buyout fees for travelers that want to come on as our own staff. 
3. Making nurses who decide to travel, have to take an assignment 200+ miles away from their hometown. 
4. Provide financial assistance to the facilities that have to hire travel staff to keep the crucial critical access hospitals open, as the remote areas need our care and providers before they can be transferred.
5. Provide incentives to critical access hospitals to compete with travel wages. (Sign on bonus, retention bonus, more scholarship opportunities)

As a facility we continue to add growth opportunities to our current staff. We provide CNA, CMAII courses. We work with local colleges through job fairs, job boards and school visits to help encourage new grads to trial rural areas. One of the goals for 2026 is to become a satellite training facility for LPNs and RNs through our local colleges. We continue to assist staff with continuing education courses and look for more growth opportunities for them. We provide BLS, ACLS, and PALS training to current staff. 

Moiz Master, MD. Chief Medical Officer of Piedmont Healthcare (Atlanta): With one in three healthcare providers nearing retirement age and with an anticipated 27 million adults aged 65 or older by 2050, the United States is projected to face a physician shortage of 124,000 by 2034. At Piedmont, a nonprofit system that serves 85 percent of the population in Georgia, we are doing our part to help address this projected shortage by establishing a systemwide Graduate Medical Education program.

Currently, we operate local residency programs at our hospitals in Columbus, Cartersville, Macon, and Athens, with 80 new residents matching earlier this year. The new system GME program will be rolled out at several of our clinical hubs over the next few years, with the first programs starting in 2027.

The systemwide GME program will add residency and fellowship opportunities at Piedmont Atlanta (our founding hospital), Piedmont Athens Regional, and Piedmont Augusta. By 2035, the program plans to host 386 additional residents and fellows per year, addressing the critical need for more healthcare providers in Georgia.

Brett T. Starr, MD. Chief of Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at Frye Regional Medical Center (Hickory, N.C.): Workforce stabilization over the next decade is almost certainly going to be driven by reduction in temporary staffing models and re-initiation of recruitment and promotion of locally-grown talent, especially in rural and community health centers. While attrition of long-tenured staff unfortunately appears to continue to accelerate, the backfilling of young, eager staff wanting to place roots and advance locally has become much less available. More data continues to suggest that career advancement today is often more quickly driven by changing institutions or organizations, which ultimately erodes local culture and often has an impact on quality and safety due to a consistent turnover of leaders and front-line staff. When ambitious young leaders leave, so do all of the relationships they have fostered.

Workforce development across the entire healthcare landscape continues to be a significant problem spanning all facets of care delivery models. While most discussion focuses on physician and nursing shortfalls, we continue to see ongoing reductions in other licensed and ancillary staff, from CNAs, surgical technicians, and radiology technicians, which all can have significant impact on the day-to-day functioning of a facility. As we have continued to outline our FRHC Cardiovascular Sciences Department strategic plan for the next 5 years, I have tasked our divisional leaders to develop operational efficiency and optimization plans that target not only FTEs, capital needs, and spreadsheet data, but also to define key aspects for a culture shift to enable leaders to recruit, develop, and promote local talent and ultimately create pre-emptive growth and succession planning to avoid the ongoing need for temporary staffing. As margins continue to decrease, cost management initiatives will ultimately have to shift to adopt a philosophy that will allow systems to exit the ‘pay-to-play’ model to keep the minimum staff to function and be able to focus on a ‘play-to-win’ model in terms of staff retention, internal promotion, enhanced quality programs, and programmatic efficiencies.

Theresa McDonnell, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive of Duke University Health System (Durham, N.C.): The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 is sustained staff engagement. With the deployment of new technologies to drive efficiency, we risk disengagement if the workforce experiences change to them rather than designed with them. At Duke we are focused on working with our front-line clinicians, staff, and technical experts to solve the problems together. We are doing this through rapid pilots and hackathon style initiatives, allowing teams to design solutions to workflow problems that they identify. 

K. Nadeem Ahmed, MD. Chief Medical Information Officer of The Valley Health System (Paramus, N.J.): Among the many workforce challenges anticipated in 2026, as our System CMIO, applying technology solutions to address workforce burnout is one of the most pressing. The adoption of AI-enabled technology as a “gold standard”, versus as a novelty, will reflect a major shift in the perception of how technology impacts clinical operations. Contrary to the apprehension by many clinicians of poorly designed technology in the past, the healthcare workforce is now more excited about technological solutions that can help address their administrative burdens and provide meaningful clinical decision support. 

Gina Temple, PhD. President of St. Francis Hospital, St. Francis Hospital, Interquest, Mountain Region at CommonSpirit Health (Chicago): Hospital leaders within CommonSpirit are monitoring a number of workforce challenges, including a shortage of experienced directors and managers. As a healthcare system, we are dedicated to equipping our current and emerging leaders through training, support and development. We recently launched our Bold Leadership Series that focuses on empowering our leaders to lead with clarity, resilience, and intention. Our latest session focused on our directors and managers gaining valuable tools to replenish their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energy, ensuring they are at their best. By establishing a strong leadership foundation, our leaders can better build meaningful relationships with their teams and in turn, a more dedicated workforce that is committed to our healing ministry.

Erika F. Werner, MD. President of Physician Organization at Tufts Medical Center (Boston): In the post-COVID era, we continue to experience an erosion of the clinical workforce, not just from competing offers to work outside of healthcare, but from the remaining workforce appropriately prioritizing more balanced schedules. This shift challenges a system historically built on an expected 50-plus hour work week that stretches across all seven days. Until recently, clinicians routinely worked through minor illnesses, maternity leaves were rarely more than six to eight weeks, and teaching, research and committee work were privileged pursuits performed outside of regular hours. Today, not only are new hires challenging these historic healthcare norms, but seasoned clinicians are seeking culture change as they see their age-matched peers in other professions having increased schedule flexibility. 

While this evolution has enormous potential to result in a happier, healthier workforce, reductions in clinician effort without congruent decreases in compensation risk further increases in labor costs, the main driver of ever escalating healthcare costs. Our health system is navigating these competing interests through honest, direct discussions between clinicians and administrators. Together, we are developing a framework of understanding about the importance of both clinical and non-clinical time in driving healthcare forward. We are also working to increase transparency about how all pursuits are valued with regard to time and monetary investment. Finally, we are evolving our employment model so that clinicians can titrate time and compensation to best fit their individual needs. Only with partnership, transparency, and flexibility can we meet the workforce and financial demands of 2026 and beyond. 

Monica Price. Vice President and Group Financial Officer of Texas Health Mid-Cities, N. Tarrant and Denton Region (Arlington): With the movement of many outpatients out of the hospital setting, acute care hospitals are working to rethink their workflows. Over the past 5 years we have seen an increasingly acute population compounded with more behavioral issues. Sitters are a constant occurrence and we are trying to utilize virtual options, when it makes sense for the patient. As a system, my system has worked to equip our staff with de-escalation techniques to help them deal with aggressive patients and family members. As we move forward in 2026, we are looking at further virtual and AI tools to improve not only patient care, but employee workflow.

Lilicia Bailey, PhD. Senior Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer of CommonSpirit Health (Chicago): Looking ahead to 2026, I anticipate our most pressing workforce challenge will be sustaining a resilient, engaged culture amidst continuous disruption: everything from evolving care models to rapid technological integration. While shortages and burnout remain persistent throughout our industry, how we lead through change directly impacts retention, engagement, innovation, and ultimately, care delivery.

At CommonSpirit, our preparation begins with cultivating leadership. We are intently focused on developing leaders who not only understand our foundational mission but are also deeply skilled in fostering environments of psychological safety, collaboration, and purpose. This means prioritizing investment in training around our core leadership principles, ensuring our leaders can effectively inspire, empower, and adapt their teams and feel supported to do so. By elevating our leaders’ capabilities to drive a culture of engagement and accountability, we can equip our team members to navigate future uncertainties. Ultimately, we believe a strong, adaptive culture, built and nurtured by effective leaders, is our most powerful asset in addressing workforce challenges today and into the future.

Tiffany Murdock, MSN, DNP. Chief Nursing Officer of Ochsner Health (New Orleans): One of the most pressing workforce challenges in 2026 will be the shortage of nurses amidst an ever-increasing demand for care from an aging population. At Ochsner, we continue to stay ahead of this challenge by investing and building a hands-on, immersive internship program where nurses learn, experience and explore both the day-in and day-out aspects of nursing as well as the vast areas of growth where this profession can take them. 

Retention is just as important as recruitment. Ochsner prioritizes flexible scheduling, mental health resources, integrating technology and offering leadership development to empower nurses to grow and thrive here. 

For both the nurses we have currently – and the ones we can’t wait to welcome to the team after their internships – we’re growing our nursing workforce that is poised to continue delivering high-quality, compassionate care with a purpose.  

Robert Chestnut. Senior Vice President and CFO of LMH Health (Lawrence, Ky.): This biggest challenge for 2026 is concentrated in nursing and support staff including imaging and medical assistants. We are working on a number of fronts to find new areas for recruitment.  This requires a more proactive approach that requires constant outreach. In the longer term, we are pursuing a number of training programs to develop more people in our community for a career in healthcare.

Cherie Smith, PhD, RN. President of Dublin Methodist and Grady Memorial Hospitals, OhioHealth: I anticipate several challenges ahead for us in 2026. At OhioHealth, we are tackling immediate workforce challenges while simultaneously investing in the long-term transformation of our workforce through innovative partnerships and community collaboration. A key initiative in this effort is our collaboration with Columbus State Community College, which aims to bolster the healthcare talent pipeline throughout central Ohio.  In response to the ongoing national shortages in critical areas such as nursing, radiologic technology, respiratory therapy, and sterile processing, OhioHealth has pledged a $25 million endowment to the Columbus State Community College Foundation. This significant investment will support and expand academic programs, fund faculty and staff, and enhance training for healthcare professionals in these high-demand fields. By investing in this partnership, we are creating a sustainable model for developing local talent, ensuring our communities continue to receive high-quality, compassionate care. This collaboration not only addresses the immediate workforce pressures but also demonstrates our commitment to reshaping the future of healthcare in Central Ohio, one of the fastest-growing large metro regions in the Midwest.

Jason M. Golbin, DO. Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Catholic Health, Long Island (N.Y.): I think our biggest workforce challenge is responding to our workforce’s stress points. Our entire healthcare industry is navigating challenging times that have placed significant stress on our healthcare teams. System leaders need to project their understanding and empathy concerning those pressure points, and do something positive to address them. At Catholic Health, we’ve commenced a two-part approach: first listen, then implement. We’re launching a series of surveys as well as scheduling town halls forums, to sound out our people. The good news is they have winning ideas. We’ll collect the best of them and implement changes that address the pressure points. At the same time, we will build upon our recognition and rewards programs to celebrate employee commitment in stronger and more visible ways.

Thomas W. Scott. President and CEO of CentraState Healthcare System (Freehold, N.J.): The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 is designing a structure that meets today’s dynamic and complex healthcare environment, while sustaining high levels of team member and clinician engagement, fulfillment and well-being. Capital constraints, workforce strain, major legislative overhauls and shifting demand patterns have converged as persistent conditions that shape daily operations and long-term strategy. 

As part of Atlantic Health, we have a bold vision for clinical excellence and workplace culture that will shape how we deliver care, support our teams and serve our communities. A key strategic imperative is elevating the workforce experience and building the ‘workplace of choice.’ To achieve that, we’re redesigning the workforce to optimize roles and eliminate low-value tasks by leveraging AI and technology for tasks such as documentation, triage, and scheduling tools. 

We know that workforce experience begins with engagement – ensuring team members feel supported and connected to their purpose. So, we aim to elevate engagement by reinforcing that their voices matter, that their contributions are seen and that their individual growth is a key driver of our organization’s future success. While existing talent is vital, a strong pipeline of new talent is equally important, so we’re keenly identifying talent, creating internal pathways, training programs and partnerships to not only bring in good people, but to keep them. To retain talent, we’re creating opportunities for people to advance, learn and evolve the next generation of leadership.

Paula Ferrada, MD. Chair Department of Surgery at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus; Division and System Chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at Inova Healthcare System (Fairfax, Va.): From my perspective as chair of surgery at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus and system chief for trauma and acute care surgery across Inova Health, the most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 is sustaining an engaged, resilient, and mission-driven clinical workforce in an increasingly complex healthcare environment.

At Inova, we are fortunate to have a strong pipeline of talented clinicians, but we recognize that recruitment alone is not enough. Retention, professional fulfillment, and trust are now central workforce priorities. Clinicians want to know that their voices matter, that their work is valued, and that the systems around them are designed to support safe, high-quality care rather than simply demand more of them. The challenge is not a lack of commitment; it is ensuring that commitment remains sustainable.

We are addressing this proactively by investing in clinician leadership development, team-based care models, and operational structures that prioritize safety, flexibility, and purpose. Across surgery, trauma, and acute care, we are intentionally building stable teams, protecting time for recovery and development, and ensuring that those closest to patient care are meaningfully involved in decision-making. This focus on culture, leadership, and alignment has been a strength for Inova and positions us well to meet the workforce challenges ahead while continuing to deliver exceptional care to our communities.

Larry Beilis. Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of Columbia University Irving Medical Center (New York City): The most pressing is keeping up with the salary requests and how to fund them. Right now we are still working on the best way to address it.

Alyssa Livengood Waite, MSN, RN. Associate Chief Nursing Officer of Penn Medicine Lancaster (Pa.) General Health: From a nursing leadership perspective, there are two key concerns: the early career nurse exit and nurses retiring from the profession. As we celebrate those retiring, we desire to create an environment where they can contribute, if so desired, in roles less physically demanding. However, the focus in 2026 will continue to be early career nurse exit, as increasing workload, stress, and gaps in support continue to drive nurses away from the profession within their first few years of practice. This loss of early-career nurses threatens workforce stability and increases reliance on temporary staffing or creative staffing plans. In response, our healthcare organization has intentionally invested in structured nurse residency, mentorship, and peer support programs to strengthen confidence, competence, and professional identity. We have developed several development programs to engage and direct growth of our early career staff. We are emphasizing a supportive environment, regular feedback through a strong culture of shared governance, and psychological safety. By focusing on targeted development and our support framework, we have improved and sustained retention at unprecedented rates, which builds the pipeline of experienced nurses for the future.

Deepti Pandita, MD. Vice President of Clinical Informatics and Chief Medical Information Officer at UCI Health (Orange, Calif.): I believe that one of the most pressing workforce challenges in 2026 will be adapting to the rapid advancements in healthcare technology in the age of AI while ensuring that our workforce is well-trained and equipped to handle these changes. At UCI Health, we are preparing to address this by investing in continuous education and training programs for our staff. By fostering a culture of lifelong learning and professional development, we aim to ensure that our team remains at the forefront of technological advancements and can provide the best possible care to our patients.

Scott W. Jarvis, MD. Associate Vice President of Clinical Affairs at OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital: In 2026, the most pressing workforce challenge for my hospital OhioHealth–Van Wert Hospital located in northwest Ohio in a small rural community will be sustaining enough family medicine/primary care clinicians and nurses to keep care local — despite nonmetro primary care shortfalls and persistent RN demand and turnover pressure. Projections show primary care shortages are expected to be especially acute in rural areas, with family medicine inadequacy projected around 71% by 2038, while rural nursing projections continue to show large annual openings nationally. We are preparing by doubling down on rural pipeline development, team-based care leveraging APPs, technology-enabled coverage, and — most importantly — retention through culture, safety, and flexible staffing models aligned to the realities of our rural hospital and its outpatient network.

Pooja Vyas, DO. System Vice President of Care Coordination Liaison, Physician and Provider Advisement at SSM Health (St. Louis): The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 is sustaining an engaged, resilient, and high‑performing clinical workforce while operating under continued financial constraint, restructuring, and rising expectations for quality, efficiency, and transformation. At SSM Health, this challenge goes beyond staffing shortages and reflects the cumulative impact of workforce fatigue, increasing role complexity, and the need to deliver more standardized, technology‑enabled care with fewer resources. The system is prepared by elevating workforce sustainability to an enterprise priority, explicitly measuring team member engagement, turnover, safety, and culture alongside financial and quality outcomes. SSM is also investing in safety, well‑being, and standard work to reduce unnecessary variation and cognitive burden, rather than relying on individual heroics. 

From my role, I am preparing for this challenge by focusing on system redesign — particularly around documentation integrity, care coordination, and governance — to remove friction from clinical work and protect clinical capacity. I am intentionally shifting efforts away from “try harder” solutions toward clearer accountability, better workflows, and end‑to‑end process ownership. Together, these approaches aim to rebuild trust, retain critical talent, and ensure our workforce can sustainably meet the demands of care delivery in 2026 and beyond.

Rebecca Napier. Vice President of Finance and Administration at The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (Albuquerque): The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 is that there is no overnight solution to the supply problem—and the work required often runs counter to short-term economic signals that favor restraint. Building a sustainable workforce takes time, planning, and sustained investment, even when the operating environment encourages caution.

At UNM Health Sciences, we are addressing this by deliberately strengthening capacity across the full health professions pipeline. We have strategically scaled our clinical delivery system to improve patient access while ensuring learners across medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and a wide range of clinical disciplines have high-quality, non-oversaturated environments for training. In parallel, we are investing in the academic, research, and instructional infrastructure needed to support that growth, including planning for a future school of medicine facility and targeted retrofits to meet the evolving needs of health professions education.

This approach requires intentional tradeoffs — prioritizing long-term workforce development even when it means pacing investment elsewhere. We view workforce sustainability as a strategic obligation to our patients, our learners, and the communities we serve, not a short-term operational fix.

Perry M. Gee, PhD, RN. Enterprise Director of Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice, Nurse Scientist and Associate Professor of Research at Intermountain Health (Salt Lake City): The most significant nursing workforce challenge today is navigating the shift from long‑standing care models to a new, science‑driven approach supported by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. At the center of this transformation is the nurse scientist–nurse executive dyad, which anchors innovation in both evidence and operational leadership.

As Intermountain Health’s Nurse Scientist and Director of Nursing Research and Evidence‑Based Practice, I work closely with our nurse executives to guide the workforce into new and uncharted territory while preserving our core identity as patient advocates and compassionate caregivers.

Together with nurse executives and nurses at the point of care, we are leveraging the full range of inquiry methods including research, evidence‑based practice, quality improvement, and implementation science to drive strong adoption and long‑term sustainability of new interventions and care models. Our goal is to ensure that every advancement strengthens the quality, safety, and humanity of care for the patients and communities we serve.

James Mladucky. Vice President of Design and Construction at Indiana University Health (Indianapolis): Shortages in qualified care providers continue. Focus on retention of core providers is a must.

Keeping the best and the brightest requires investment in their future including engagement, education and well-being programs. These are critical to maintain current staff and attaching others to the organization. 

Establishing and expanding leadership development programs – providing and funding education and training opportunities inside and outside of the organization provides opportunities to grow within the organization helping keep the best providers and grow current staff.

Focusing on safety to ensure a positive, secure experience for caregivers is essential. Investment in systems and training that cut response time to incidents is a must in today’s volatile environment.

Leveraging technology and AI to streamline administrative tasks reducing caregivers’ paperwork burden.

James Fenush, RN. Vice President of Nursing Emergency Services and Clinical Support Services at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey (Pa.) Medical Center: In 2026, the most pressing workforce challenge for large health systems such as Penn State Health: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is driving quality into the top quartile while navigating sustained financial pressure and growing operational complexity. Margin compression, rising labor costs, and reimbursement scrutiny are converging with competing strategic priorities, enterprisewide transformation initiatives, and the implementation of a new electronic health record. The central challenge is the cumulative impact of simultaneous demands placed on frontline care teams and nurse leaders. Leaders are expected to stabilize performance, adopt new workflows, integrate technology changes, and sustain an exceptional patient experience simultaneously.

Yet quality remains the most powerful lever influencing patient outcomes, length of stay, readmissions, patient experience, and overall financial performance. Leading health systems recognize that workforce stability is not simply a human resources concern, but a core quality and margin-protection strategy. At Penn State Health: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, we are reimagining care delivery through team-based nursing models, dedicated turn teams, structured lunch-relief coverage, and mobility team while strengthening frontline leadership, leveraging nursing shared governance, and using data to reduce variation in practice. We are intentionally positioning nursing excellence as the foundation of superior outcomes and long-term organizational sustainability.

Samuel I. McCrimmon. Vice President of Development at Regional One Health (Memphis, Tenn.): At Regional One Health, the most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 will continue to be the gap between the complexity of care we deliver and the pipeline of clinicians prepared to deliver it. As the only Level 1 Trauma Center within 150 miles, we rely heavily on experienced nurses, respiratory therapists, and direct care staff who are comfortable operating in high-acuity environments. Those roles are increasingly difficult to recruit and retain, particularly as burnout and competition remain real factors.

On the administrative side, we’re also seeing strain in specialized operational, finance, and revenue cycle roles, where the regulatory and documentation demands continue to grow in scale and complexity. One additional challenge of particular interest to me is the limited pipeline of experienced healthcare development professionals. As a public safety-net system preparing for significant capital growth, philanthropy is central to our future plans — and seasoned fundraisers are not easy to find.

Our focus is on strengthening academic partnerships in Memphis, investing in retention and leadership development, and intentionally building internal talent pipelines so we are developing the workforce we need rather than simply competing for a limited pool.

Jilian White, MD. Vice President of Medical Affairs at WellSpan Health (York, Pa.): In my opinion, staffing remains our most significant challenge, and I anticipate this will continue for some time. At WellSpan, we are taking a comprehensive approach by leveraging people, processes, and technology to navigate these pressures. Recruitment, engagement, and retention are key priorities for this fiscal year and the next.

We look at recruitment across the entire lifecycle of a team member. We are committed to strengthening our ability to recruit and develop talent from within our communities to support our practices and hospitals. A major part of this strategy is investing in education. We offer our own nursing school, and we will soon matriculate the first class through our new medical education collaboration with Temple University.

Our approach extends beyond traditional training programs. We are creating financial support and career development pathways for team members across the organization, regardless of where they begin. Our goal is to support our people so they can grow, advance, and ultimately stay within our system.

We are also deeply focused on belonging and engagement as core retention strategies. Team members are welcomed with open arms into the WellSpan community, and that sense of value begins on day one. Strong onboarding and ongoing support from both frontline and senior leaders are central to that experience.

Technology is another critical component. Leveraging AI has allowed us to better support frontline staff through virtual sitters, virtual admissions and discharges, and other virtual administrative functions.

This multifaceted approach, centered on people, supported by process, and enhanced by technology, positions us to better meet our staffing needs moving forward.

William A. Wertheim, MD. Executive Vice President of Stony Brook Medicine (N.Y.): The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 will be ensuring we have the right specialty capacity to meet rapidly evolving community needs – particularly in geriatrics, psychiatry and primary care – as demand continues to accelerate. As the only academic health center serving Suffolk County, we are seeing firsthand how a rapidly aging population and rising behavioral health demands are intensifying pressure on already limited specialties. To address this, we are actively expanding residency and fellowship programs in high-need areas. 

At the same time, we are intentionally strengthening the clinician pipeline through initiatives like our PACE Program, which provides hands-on clinical exposure for undergraduates from traditionally marginalized communities, and through partnerships with local schools and community colleges to build earlier entry points into healthcare careers. We’re also investing in advanced simulation and clinical training infrastructure to ensure our graduates are prepared for increasingly complex, technology-enabled care delivery. We are equally focused on strengthening the broader healthcare workforce, including nurses, social workers, therapists, technologists, care coordinators and other essential team members who are critical to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. 

Expanding access requires a fully integrated team-based model, and that means investing across disciplines. That work must be anchored in a deliberate, systemwide workforce strategy. For us, building the workforce of the future means integrating academic excellence, community alignment and retention strategy so that patients across Long Island have access not only to primary care, but to the full spectrum of specialty and tertiary services they need close to home.

Steve Smith. Assistant Vice President of Enterprise Contact Center and Access at Inova Health System (Fairfax, Va.): One of the most pressing workforce challenges we are facing in 2026 within the access space: building automation and AI processes that seamlessly integrate with both patient and staffing needs.

Our primary goal is to provide our team members with tools that enable them to work smarter, not harder, all while adhering to our staffing budget expectations. To achieve this, we are currently working on several initiatives. We are developing a knowledge base powered by AI. This will serve as an invaluable resource for our team, providing quick and accurate information at their fingertips. Additionally, we are introducing “real-time coaching” for our call center agents. This initiative aims to enhance their performance and efficiency by offering feedback and guidance during and immediately after their calls.

We are also developing more opportunities for patients to self-service their appointment management needs, RX refills, etc. By doing so, we will empower patients with greater control over their healthcare needs. To further enhance our service, we are improving “smart routing” calls with our AI digital assistant, ensuring that patients are directed to the right destination within our contact center more effectively while being less reliant on human intervention.

The end result of these efforts will be a significant reduction in the burden on our team members. By identifying and implementing automation opportunities, we aim to create a more efficient and supportive environment for both our team members and our patients.

Joanne M. McCool. Vice President of Human Resources at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Pa.): The most pressing challenge facing us right now is that there is no one workforce challenge on which we can singularly focus. Healthcare systems are still facing acute labor market shortages requiring intervention at a systemic level. They are under extraordinary financial pressure. Increasingly, they are facing an uncertain regulatory landscape and rapidly changing external environment. With volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) so intense, we are placing an even higher premium on clear communication and intentional collaboration. Whether navigating large, complex systems internally or stepping into public-private partnerships externally, we need to break through boundaries and challenge outdated mental models that encourage us to ‘go it alone.’ No question it is harder, especially at the onset, to partner. It requires more and different things from us than we leveraged in the past. Ultimately, at CHOP we believe we are better together so we are doing the hard work for a more resilient future.

Erin Shipley, MSN, RN. Vice President of Consumer Experience at Cooper University Health Care (Camden, N.J.): I anticipate that healthcare will face significant challenges due to the rapid evolution of technology and the increasing demand for personalized patient care. Balancing the integration of advanced technologies, such as AI, ambient listening, and machine learning, while ensuring that our workforce remains highly skilled and adaptable will be crucial. Patients are expecting us to be more and more nimble, and increasingly expect flexible, personal, and responsive care. Our health system is proactively investing in continuous professional development programs for leaders and staff on how to take existing tools and integrate these into their daily work. We believe that by empowering our staff with the necessary tools and knowledge, we can navigate the complexities of the future healthcare landscape effectively.

Matthew Boebel. Associate Vice President of Clinical Services at Silver Cross Hospital (New Lenox, Ill.): Healthcare operations leaders continue to manage the complex responsibilities of daily staffing to ensure the appropriate number of staff are available to meet patient demand. This includes maintaining a strong staffing bench capable of supporting volume fluctuations as well as both planned and unplanned employee absences. While sustaining a stable workforce is not a new challenge, today’s environment adds the heightened expectations of both the workforce and healthcare consumers.

The most significant workforce challenge remains the classic supply‑and‑demand imbalance. Many clinical roles have become “hot jobs” due to persistent shortages that coincide with rising demand for healthcare services. The central challenge is shifting from reactive staffing practices to a more strategic approach that secures the right talent to meet both workforce and patient needs.

Our organization is exploring new strategies to strengthen recruitment and retention, including flexible scheduling models, internal career‑advancement pathways, and the adoption of supportive technologies. In home health, flexible scheduling has proven to be a powerful lever for attracting and retaining staff, as it is a clinical environment not bound to traditional 8‑ or 12‑hour shift structures. In diagnostic imaging, we have partnered with local college programs to enable early recruitment, while enticing with on‑site clinical advancement — such as training X‑ray technologists to become CT technologists — supports internal mobility and long‑term workforce development.

Technology is also playing a meaningful role. We have begun to implement ambient clinical documentation tools for our physicians, who report improved quality time with patients and reduced documentation burden.

Tiffany Love, PhD. Associate Vice President of Nursing at Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (Lawrence, Mass.): Recruitment and retention remain the number one workforce challenge for federally qualified health centers. Many centers are experiencing severe staffing shortages, compounded by high turnover and burnout. These shortages span all disciplines and threaten access to primary care for our most vulnerable communities, particularly those with complex medical conditions. Critical positions often remain vacant for months due to the highly competitive healthcare labor market.

Our organization has responded proactively. We have conducted market analyses and implemented compensation adjustments for critical roles. We have developed career pathway programs to help employees build essential skills and transition from nonclinical roles into higher-paying clinical positions. Additionally, we have facilitated multi-day Kaizen events to identify strategies to reduce administrative burden and address other key drivers of burnout.

Brandi Fields, DNP, RN. Vice President of Clinical Services and Quality Improvement at UK King’s Daughters (Ashland, Ky.): The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 will be sustaining a strong, skilled workforce while healthcare demand continues to grow. Like many healthcare leaders, we are experiencing workforce challenges in maintaining an adequate supply of needed team members. We have robust plans focused on both recruitment of new talent and retention of our current workforce. From a recruitment perspective, we are strengthening our pipeline by partnering with colleges and universities to build specialty pathways, serving as adjunct faculty, expanding clinical training opportunities, and collaborating with high schools to introduce students to healthcare careers early.

Equally important is retaining the team members we have today. Our retention strategies include investing in well-being resources and fostering a culture where people feel valued, supported, and connected. Mentorship and professional growth remain essential, because a strong workforce foundation begins with connection, support, and opportunity. We recognize that our team members want flexibility, meaningful work, and a voice in their practice environment. By strengthening career pathways and shared governance, we are creating a culture where people feel heard, valued, and prepared to meet the evolving needs of healthcare.

Joseph Carr, RN. Vice President of Supply Chain at Akron Children’s (Ohio): At Akron Children’s Hospital, after polling our supply chain and support services leadership, the most pressing workforce challenges we anticipate in 2026 center on two converging forces: the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence and automation, and the increasing competition for skilled healthcare talent amid rising wage expectations and longer hiring cycles. As a pediatric health system currently undergoing significant transformation across supply chain and support services, we recognize that workforce readiness will be a defining factor in our ability to sustain performance and support clinical teams effectively. The introduction of advanced analytics, automation, and AI-enabled workflows has the potential to significantly enhance forecasting, sourcing intelligence, and operational efficiency. However, success depends on aligning technology adoption with workforce development so that innovation empowers, rather than disrupts, our teams.

To prepare, we are focusing on several strategies:

• Workforce modernization and career pathways: We are redesigning team structures, building career ladders, and investing in professional development through external partnerships and internal training to strengthen retention and engagement.
• Technology-enabled efficiency: As we prepare for a future ERP platform and supply chain control tower, we are standardizing processes and introducing automation to reduce manual work and allow staff to focus on higher-value activities.
• Culture and engagement during transformation: Recognizing the pace of change, we are prioritizing communication, training, and leadership visibility to maintain morale and clarity of purpose.
• Recruitment competitiveness: We are evaluating market alignment, role design, and flexible staffing approaches to remain competitive in attracting skilled talent.

Ultimately, our approach is grounded in our mission: giving clinicians more time with patients and ensuring children in our communities receive safe, high-quality, and accessible care. By aligning workforce strategy with innovation and culture, we believe health systems can navigate these pressures while strengthening both employee experience and patient outcomes.

Deesha K. Brown. Senior Director of Community Clinics Network Operations at UCLA Health (Los Angeles): The delivery of compassionate healthcare at its core is relational, yet we currently live in a world that often minimizes the ideology of strong, authentic relationships. In contrast, the resilience of our workforce must therefore be rooted in people-focused principles and solutions that drive long-term sustainability. The most pressing workforce challenge in 2026 will be sustaining a resilient workforce while demand for access continues to grow.

In response to this pressing need, we are preparing by strengthening workforce pipelines, advancing team-based care models, and investing in leadership development for frontline leaders who directly shape engagement and retention. We are also evaluating our staffing models for standardization, sufficiency of support and redesigning workflows to ensure team members consistently work at the top of their skill or licensure while reducing unnecessary administrative burden. Equally important, we are infusing human-centered principles to build cultures where staff feel valued, heard, and connected to purpose; recognizing that retention will be as critical as recruitment. Health systems that have a thriving and sustainable workforce will be those that prioritize and understand the relational connected value of creating a human-centered workforce as a core operational value to drive healthcare outcomes and exceptional patient experience. 

Devdutta Sangvai, MD. Secretary of North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (Raleigh): North Carolina (and many states across the country) will be faced with the intersection of two crises. A rapidly growing aging population that is sicker than ever and an increasing number of baby boomers retiring out of the health workforce. This intersection of increasing workload and decreasing staffing resources places an extra burden on the workforce we will have remaining, making many of them at risk of leaving the field. 

In North Carolina, this dynamic is especially evident with our direct care workforce: our home health aides, certified nursing assistants in nursing homes, and other direct service professionals, who are already at risk of exiting the field due to stagnant wages and lack of career pathways but are desperately needed as the backbone of long-term care services. 

We are tackling this in a couple ways in the direct care workforce. First, where state and federal resources are available, we are investing in direct care worker wages and other financial incentives tied to retention. Second, we are building career progression pathways so direct care workers can progress their career and take on leadership roles without exiting the field. 

Beyond direct care, we are also leveraging our Rural Health Transformation Funds to invest in innovative solutions to the workforce crisis — things like social supports for trainees, digital forward practice solutions like AI scribes, or facilitating access to value based primary care models so providers are driven by quality, not volume, and have more predictable sources of revenue.

Damon Blankenbaker. Workplace Violence and Public Safety Manager of Integris Health (Oklahoma City): In 2026, we are looking for ways to change the national narrative around workplace violence. Like most systems, we deal with high turnover, burnout, and staffing shortages. Caregivers are asked to multitask more today than ever before because of staffing, and liability concerns. On top of that we are telling them they need to be situational aware of their surroundings, make split second decisions about their safety, and do all of that with little to no training. For compliance reasons, we make them complete annual online modules and expect them to become experts on perishable skills. Due to turnover and staff shortages most systems are moving away from in person new employee orientation to a virtual model but still expect them to retain information and do more. All of this while the hospital environments are increasingly becoming more unpredictable and emotionally taxing.

Our system is preparing by shifting from a reactive model to a prevention first approach that treats workforce safety and well-being as our core priorities. This includes strengthening workplace violence prevention, behavioral threat assessment, and early intervention processes, so staff feel supported before incidents escalate. We are currently piloting a rapid post-incident support program that focuses on timely debriefs to reduce long-term psychological injury and turnover. Just as importantly, we are focusing on scenario-based training for our frontline leaders and caregivers to recognize early warning signs of distress and aggression, empowering them to act sooner. The goal is to retain experienced staff by creating a culture where safety, trust, and support are visible, measurable, and consistently reinforced.

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