The healthcare industry labor shortage continues to grow year over year, with downstream effects impacting both healthcare professionals and their patients.1 As a result, healthcare organizations are navigating a long‑term reset in how care is staffed, delivered and financed.
Currently, the United States needs almost 18,000 primary care practitioners, more than 12,000 dental health doctors and nearly 8,000 mental health providers.2 A national registered nurse shortage of 8% is expected by 2028, and government reports show that by 2030, the country will see a 127,620 shortage of healthcare workers across the board.3
“It’s critical for leaders to invest in creative recruitment and retainment strategies while offering competitive pay, incentives and solutions to managing the stress of these important roles,” says Ali Whitten, healthcare practice lead at The Hartford.
As healthcare margins shrink and federal policies affect the bottom line, the financial impacts and inefficiencies of the labor shortage result in more than just overtime and agency staffing costs. There’s a direct impact to access to care, provider workloads and patient outcomes.4
For leaders in healthcare, now is the time to consider the necessary steps for filling vacancies and keeping talent.
New Staffing Models May Remedy the Labor Shortage
To address these ongoing challenges, healthcare administrators are developing new solutions to attract and retain talent while maintaining standards of care.
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Blended models use adaptative workflows and several types of care, such as telehealth, digital health tools and in-person appointments, to reduce burdens on staff and maximize results.
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Team based care incorporates a variety of physicians, behaviorists, nurses and social supports to spread out the care responsibilities across departments.
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Contingent labor gives hospitals and medical centers the opportunity to fill gaps where shortages are high without having to commit financially to long-term positions. Examples include travel nursing, temporary staffing and other short-term positions.
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Cross-training programs aim to fill labor gaps in non-critical care areas. This can mean cross-training administrators, community health workers and nurses to support specific programs while others are on leave.
Steps Leaders Can Take To Support Their Workforce
Addressing the labor shortage for healthcare workers isn’t easy. Every healthcare organization is unique, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. However, healthcare facilities can take these basic steps to support their already stretched staff.
Emphasize Recruitment Efforts
Maintaining a solid workforce begins with strong recruitment efforts. Hospitals and medical institutions are finding unique ways to provide incentives to prospective employees, like:
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Apprenticeships
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Agreements with local colleges
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Clear career pathways for advancement
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Community partnerships for talent development
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Housing and transportation assistance
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Student loan repayment
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Scheduling flexibility
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Work-life balance commitments
Invest in Technology
Leveraging emerging technologies can help alleviate the burden on healthcare workers and improve patient outcomes. For example, conditions like asthma and hypertension may be better managed with remote monitoring devices.5
Some of the more popular healthcare technology tools to explore include:
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Virtual Care: Telehealth consultations, remote symptom assessments and virtual rehabilitation sessions reduce the need for in-person appointments.
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Patient Portals: Secure portals minimize the need for some in-person visits by allowing patients to access their records, check test results, order medication refills and communicate with doctors and staff online.
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AI-Enabled Appointment Scheduling: Medical appointment calls may be addressed with interactive voice response or virtual assistants freeing up time for calls that can only be addressed in person.
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Automated Documentation Methods: Doctors can turn to AI technology that listens and transcribes a patient appointment into a clinical note in the patient file.
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Patient Data Management Systems (PDMS): PDMS automatically retrieve data from bedside medical equipment, enabling staff to spend more time on patient care.
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Clinical Decision Support Software: Programs that use AI-enabled insights can help medical providers identify patterns, recommend treatments and alert them to complications.
Address Burnout
Healthcare workers continue to experience burnout at an alarming rate. Nearly half of physicians in an industry survey reported symptoms of burnout, like severe mental, physical and emotional exhaustion from untreated and long-term or excessive stress.6
“There is a circular pattern in healthcare culture where staffing shortages can lead to burnout, which leads to more healthcare workers leaving the profession and ultimately more staffing shortages,” Whitten explains. “The crisis warrants a proactive approach that addresses the root cause of the problem and establishes methods for treating those burnout symptoms.”
Healthcare administrators can help support the needs of current over-worked staff by:
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Encouraging the use of employee assistance programs that include confidential counseling and wellness support programs. This information can be shared through company emails and newsletters, during employee orientation and reinforced during meetings with management.
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Offering staff the opportunity to self-schedule in a way that alleviates work-life conflicts.
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Allowing for recharge days when mental stress is evident.
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Considering remote-work options for tasks that can be completed off-site.
A Hopeful Prognosis
Healthcare organizations face a growing set of challenges — from shifting patient needs and regulatory pressures to rising operational and financial risks. These complexities add more strain to an already stressed risk landscape. Implementing support strategies for healthcare staff can help ease the pain of labor shortages prevalent in this industry.
Learn more about insurance solutions for healthcare companies.
2 Health Resources and Services Administration, “Health Workforce Shortage Areas,” viewed May 2026.
4 The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation, “Addressing Healthcare Workforce Shortages,” viewed May 2026.
5 Center for Disease Control, “Telehealth Interventions To Improve Chronic Disease,” viewed May 2026.
6 Duke Medical Ethics Journal, “The Economics of Burnout: Why Hospital Staffing Shortages Are Costing Billions,” viewed May 2026.
The information provided in these materials is intended to be general and advisory in nature. It shall not be considered legal advice. The Hartford does not warrant that the implementation of any view or recommendation contained herein will: (i) result in the elimination of any unsafe conditions at your business locations or with respect to your business operations; or (ii) be an appropriate legal or business practice. The Hartford assumes no responsibility for the control or correction of hazards or legal compliance with respect to your business practices, and the views and recommendations contained herein shall not constitute our undertaking, on your behalf or for the benefit of others, to determine or warrant that your business premises, locations or operations are safe or healthful, or are in compliance with any law, rule or regulation. Readers seeking to resolve specific safety, legal or business issues or concerns related to the information provided in these materials should consult their safety consultant, attorney or business advisors. All information and representations contained herein are as of June 2026.
The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG) operates through its subsidiaries, including the underwriting company Hartford Fire insurance Company, under the brand name, The Hartford®, and is headquartered in Hartford, CT. For additional details, please read The Hartford’s legal notice at www.thehartford.com.
