By: Laura Dyrda – Becker’s Hospital Review
Hospitals and health systems are undergoing a seismic shift in how they structure, support and scale their workforces.
Faced with persistent labor shortages, financial constraints and rising consumer expectations, health leaders are turning to artificial intelligence and digital innovation not only to fill gaps, but to fundamentally reshape how care is delivered. From automating documentation to upskilling staff in AI literacy and redesigning access models for a more on-demand world, today’s healthcare workforce is leaner, more agile, and increasingly strategic.
As care continues its migration beyond hospital walls, the imperative is clear: success hinges on a workforce that is not only technologically fluent, but also empowered to lead transformation across clinical, operational and consumer touchpoints. Here are five predictions on the healthcare workforce by top executives and speakers at Becker’s CEO+CFO Roundtable.
The workforce will shrink and shift. Hospitals are incorporating AI into daily clinical and administrative operations to become more efficient and achieve better outcomes. The workforce is also adapting to more care being delivered outside the hospital walls.
“We see more interest in services ‘on demand’ both in our Express clinic model and via virtual visits, resulting in our workforce models adapting to meet that need,” said Derek Goebel, CFO of Grand Forks, N.D.-based Altru Health System. “Additionally, we continue to leverage technologies such as AI for provider documentation and computer assisted coding, allowing us to close gaps in staffing that go unfilled due to shortages in support areas. In addition, we carefully evaluate each job opening to ensure we are maintaining a lean, effective workforce.”
Proactively building and maintaining a “lean, effective workforce” will be essential for hospitals as margins tighten and tech advances.
AI literacy will be table stakes. AI significantly transformed healthcare operations and workflows over the last few years and continues to advance at a rapid pace. The adage “AI won’t replace physicians, but physicians with AI will replace those without” can be applied to any role within the organization. That’s why health systems, especially academic systems with built-in data science and research experts, have developed AI literacy programs for the entire team to upskill their understanding of the technology and ability to wield it.
Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic is providing the workforce with new opportunities to learn new skills, enhance existing ones and innovate with technology in support of the system’s 160-year-old mission of delivering the best care to patients.
“This includes tailored educational programs in data analytics, machine learning, and AI ethics,” said Maneesh Goyal, COO of Mayo Clinic Platform. “We are adding data scientists, AI specialists and technologies who work hand-in-hand with clinicians. By bridging the gap between clinical expertise and technological proficiency, and ensuring continuous upskilling, we’re augmenting support for our staff and the care we deliver to our patients.”
The expectation is each team member functions at a higher level and becomes more of a strategic leader, harnessing AI. Biju Samkutty, COO of Mayo Clinic, told Becker’s that his team is using intelligent automation and AI for more personalized, efficient and transformative care.
“We are prioritizing the development of skills in data literacy, digital collaboration and AI-driven decision support across clinical and operational roles,” he said. “Functions that have traditionally relied on manual or routine work are evolving to include more strategic, analytical and tech-enabled responsibilities. This shift is creating a more agile, empowered workforce ready to lead in the future of healthcare.”
Consumerism will be king. Healthcare has been slower than other industries to embrace consumer-driven business models, but hospitals are now rapidly evolving to compete for patients with easy and more convenient access to care. That means health systems are opening new satellite locations across communities and staying open on evenings and weekends to accommodate patients’ schedules. They’re offering more virtual care options, embracing virtual nursing and allowing for self-scheduling; they’re customizing communication and adding services to support whole-person care.
“As consumer expectations reshape healthcare, we’re piloting new access models, weekend services, expanded locations and virtual care, enabled by scalable technologies and a workforce equipped to adapt,” said Craig Albanese, MD, CEO of Duke University Health System in Durham, N.C. “Our workforce evolution ensures we meet patients where they are, while giving our teams the flexibility, tools and support they need to perform at their best.”
Baptist Health in Louisville, Ky., is taking a similar approach. The system’s infrastructure has become more patient-centric with projects such as a new hybrid emergency and urgent care center located on a community college campus, and the workforce is evolving as well.
“To support our commitment to accessible, cost-effective care, we are equipping our workforce with the tools and training needed to meet patients where they are,” said Rick Carrico, CFO of Baptist Health. “In addition, we continue to expand freestanding emergency and urgent care facilities, enhance home-based services and grow our primary care network, which plays a critical role in connecting patients to the care they need, while investing in technology that enables real-time patient monitoring and timely intervention, improving outcomes while reducing unnecessary hospital visits.”
Higher engagement and satisfaction. AI, automation, ambient listening and more have reduced or eliminated low-value administrative tasks for clinical and operational teams. They’re able to focus on the high-value accountabilities and human-to-human interactions vital to healthcare delivery, which require a high level of thinking and input, said Lisa Goodlett, senior vice president, CFO and treasurer of Duke University Health System in Durham, N.C.
“As we replace time spent on repetitive tasks and data transferring activities, we expect to create a more fulfilled workforce that has time to think, create and feel connected to meaningful work,” she told Becker’s. “We are pursuing a path of inclusion and transparency to gather the best thinking of our teams and partnerships as we redesign workflow and the workforce.”
Duke, like many health systems, is heavily investing in the well-being and personalized approach to employee benefits. Dr. Albanese sees clinician and employee support as critical for elite patient care.
“The care we provide to our patients is inseparable from the care, respect and inclusion we extend to our team members, and how well we reflect, understand and serve our communities,” he told Becker’s. “Our workforce evolution is rooted in a culture of belonging and interprofessional collaboration, supported by flexible scheduling, AI-driven efficiencies, well-being programs and meaningful recognition.”
Siloes will become nearly obsolete. C-suite leaders have talked for years about breaking down siloes and integrating multidisciplinary teams for better outcomes. Now technology exists to actually make that happen, and organizational structure has to keep up.
“Gone are the days of fragmented departments and transactional roles,” said David Lubarsky, MD, president and CEO of Westchester Medical Care Health Network in Valhalla, N.Y. “We’re building an ecosystem where nurses, doctors, technologists and administrators don’t just collaborate, they co-create the future of health. We are dismantling silos, redesigning leadership pipelines and nurturing a culture where bold thinking is not just welcomed; it’s becoming the norm.”
Dr. Lubarsky considers his team the “mission-driven architects of community health” who are able to connect at a deeper level because of digital technology and interoperable platforms to align around big strategic imperatives and each patient’s care journey.
“By leveraging technology to reduce low-value tasks and enhance clinical workflows, we’re making space for what matters most: meaningful, judgment-driven, and compassionate care,” said Dr. Lubarksy. “From AI integration to human-centered leadership, we’re investing in the skills and mindsets our workforce will need — not just for today’s challenges, but for those we can’t yet see. This isn’t just workforce evolution. It’s the beginning of a transformation, and we’re building toward it, together.”
Abhi Rastogi, president and CEO of Temple University Hospital and executive vice president of Temple University Health System in Philadelphia, has a similar focus.
“We’re seeing a significant shift towards a more interdisciplinary workforce,” he said. “Our focus is on empowering our team through continuous learning and development and fostering stronger collaboration across different roles and campuses to enhance patient care coordination. We integrate clinical services and programs across our health system, giving our clinicians and staff the collaborative support and resources they need to adapt to the continually growing and complex needs of our patients.”
