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AHA Releases 2025 Health Care Workforce Scan, Providing a Roadmap for Navigating Workforce Challenges

The American Hospital Association (AHA) released its 2025 Health Care Workforce Scan — an in depth look at the current state of healthcare employment, and the emerging challenges amplified by the pandemic. Featuring solutions for navigating the workforce shortage and offering valuable insights and creative recommendations from peers and experts, the Scan shines a light on the potential impact of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), and the importance of promoting an engaging work culture.

While hospitals continue to face workforce and financial strains, there has been an influx of new workers and a reduction in the turnover rate seen during and initially following the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, AHA reports that despite these positive signs, research shows “a growing concern about new clinical graduates’ readiness for bedside care, as many who began practicing during the pandemic may have missed important learning experiences and now face increased workloads, often with limited mentorship. With no slack in the system for those new to their positions — of which there are many — this makes it difficult for new nurses to learn on the job.”

The 2025 Health Care Workforce Scan addresses these concerns by focusing on four core challenges:

Embracing Technologically Integrated Care Models and Innovations

Adapting to the challenges of burnout, hospitals are increasingly utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance care quality and efficiency, and ultimately staff retention. AI is aiding faster cancer screenings, easing clinician workloads, and personalizing treatments through automated statistical analysis. AI has helped hospitals predict infection risks, identify early signs of sepsis and coronary artery calcification, and improve disease detection by automating tasks like tumor tracing.

Engaging Clinicians in Technology Strategies

The Scan points out that while technology should streamline workflows, new solutions need corresponding workforce strategies in the area of training and support. This can be achieved by refreshing educational materials, updating workflows, clarifying roles to meet the evolving needs of end users, and continuous training that emphasizes not just the use, but the value of new technologies.

Boosting Access Through Partnerships, Training and Upskilling

The Association of American Medical Colleges projects a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, and the Department of Health and Human Services expects nursing shortages in 42 states by 2030. In response, hospitals are responding creatively with training programs for high-demand roles and community partnerships to create new healthcare career entry pathways. This includes working with schools to create talent pipelines, and developing new strategies to manage patient flow and shorten hospital stays.

Rethinking Engagement to Build a More Flexible, Engaged Workforce

Employee engagement in healthcare is improving for the first time since the pandemic. This good news is overshadowed by the report that a third of workers still report low engagement. To improve how employees interact with and feel about their work environment, leaders are taking more comprehensive approach, including regularly assessing employee needs and workplace conditions, promoting work-life balance, and helping new staff acclimate to their roles through mentoring.

The Scan acknowledges that new technology and the utilization of AI may reshape care delivery, but it will be these six key drivers that will transform the healthcare workforce:

1. Skyrocketing costs are shrinking budgets

Due to high interest rates, borrowing and refinancing has become more difficult for hospitals, potentially limiting their ability to invest in new technologies or facilities. Inflation surged by 12.4% between 2021 and 2023, more than twice the growth in Medicare’s reimbursement for hospital inpatient care.

2. An aging population requires new care solutions

The Census Bureau projects that by 2050 the American population 65 and older will reach 83.9 million, nearly double 2012’s 43.1 million seniors. Researchers predict that this demographic shift will strain Medicare and Medicaid resources, causing changes to care models and incentives for both formal and informal caregivers.

3. Care continues to migrate outside hospital walls

Research shows that home-based care and outpatient services, including ambulatory surgery centers, are projected to see volume increases of 22% and 14% through 2034. While physician offices, emergency departments and inpatient settings will see modest growth, skilled nursing facilities and retail care volumes are expected to decline.

4. Payer market dominance raises questions

Some commercial health insurance companies have expanded their market share and scope dramatically over the past decade, now controlling nearly 30% of U.S. health spending. These firms have been acquiring various healthcare businesses, offering medical services directly to patients, and increasingly are involved in government programs, such as Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care.

5. Large technology solutions providers advance AI adoption

Tech giants like Amazon, Google, Microsoft and others are playing a more direct role in care delivery. They are creating scalable solutions that can drive widespread adoption of AI and other technologies to streamline nurses’ patient handoffs.

6. Healthcare’s AI sprint gets an ethics safety net

Nearly 90% of healthcare workers, life science companies and tech vendors use AI in some way. AI is expected to hasten the timeline for automation, potentially automating up to 29.5% of work hours in the U.S. economy by 2030.

State and Local Workforce Solutions

Ohio faces persistent shortages of certified and licensed health professionals and geographic disparities in local infrastructure. The Center for Health Affairs is working in coalition with state and regional hospital associations, workforce sector partnerships, Chambers of Commerce, and academia. Together these organizations are working to support the creation of the Ohio Health Workforce and Infrastructure Center of Excellence to create a collaborative statewide approach and promote best practices to achieve comprehensive workforce and infrastructure improvements. Collectively, these efforts will increase the size, diversity, and preparedness of the in-demand health workforce; improve access to quality care, resulting in lower healthcare costs and reduced health disparities; and increase economic prosperity for all Ohio. 

Visit aha.org to view the full 2025 Health Care Workforce Scan. Contact Jodi Mitchell, senior director of government relations and policy at The Center for Health Affairs for more information regarding Ohio’s statewide efforts.