According to the Mercer Future of the US Healthcare Industry, Healthcare Labor Market Projections by 2028, it expects a shortage of about 100,000 critical health care workers by 2028. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians by 2034.The American Hospital Association estimates that the US will need to hire at least 200,000 nurses a year to meet rising demands. The question is no longer will AI take the professional’s job, but how can we use AI to fill the future voids we are predicting. AI-powered automation can enable staff to spend less time on routine administrative work and shift their attention to areas where they add more value, like direct care and patient-facing activities.

In 2025 AI became a front line solution to healthcare workforce shortages and challenges. Will we continue to invest in AI innovation that will help us in our biggest future challenge? We asked our experts what progress they think we will see in 2026. Here is what they had to say.

Sandra Johnson, SVP of Client Services, CliniComp, shared with HealthIT Answers, “Over the next year, AI will become a true workforce multiplier in healthcare, automating administrative tasks, reducing documentation load, and triaging routine requests so clinicians can focus on patient care. AI will give clinicians back meaningful time and ease the burnout that drives turnover. Health systems that embed AI directly at the point of care, supported by clinician trust, workflow alignment, and responsible governance, will see the greatest gains in retention and long-term workforce resilience.”

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