The American Hospital Association outlined five key ways hospitals and health systems are reimagining their workforce strategies in a Dec. 3 report.
The association’s 2026 Health Care Workforce Scan report offers an annual snapshot of healthcare employment based on the latest industry reports and research. AHA said health systems will continue to rethink workforce strategies in 2026 amid persistent staffing shortages and rising demand for care.
“Hospitals and health systems should continually reevaluate their approaches to workforce management,” the AHA said. “Shifts in the workforce landscape demand that we act innovatively to embrace new opportunities and commit to supporting, engaging and empowering the team members who put patient needs front and center every day at every level of our organizations.”
The top five opportunities to reimagine the healthcare workforce, per AHA:
1. Integrate team-based care into staffing models and workflows.
2. Create a strong foundation for the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence tools that integrate into existing workflows.
3. Prioritize initiatives to improve staff engagement and retention, including flexible scheduling,
professional development and peer recognition programs.
4. Reassess workforce needs by building and upskilling for roles in digital health, virtual care and AI.
5. Tailor support and training to the multigenerational workforce, with targeted strategies to better retain Gen Z employees.
Learn more here.
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