In the last segment of our provider enablement blog series: We discussed what provider enablement meant, both in practice and for the future. Now we’re investigating some of the pressures care teams are facing that make provider enablement strategies so critical. Namely, the looming healthcare workforce shortages.
While pandemic pressure on the industry has waned, the staffing worries that COVID-19 introduced have continued to increase over the last five years. Professionals are leaving healthcare earlier and more often, either shifting to new roles or retiring altogether. Paired with lower enrollment in healthcare education and certification and an aging population, care team staffing is rushing towards a choke point. As the strain on care teams increases, providers will need all the help they can get.
Talent retention and top-of-license work are both crucial for the future as we move towards larger and larger predicted shortages in the United States. The U.S. is expected to face a shortage of 86,000 physicians by the year 2036 (Spoehr). Larger still is the gap for registered nurses, where 2032 faces a predicted nursing shortage of more than 193,000 RNs (AACN).
While these numbers paint a grim picture of the future, the problem is already here. Currently, the U.S. is short 78,000 full-time nurses.
An aging general population both increases the healthcare needs of the populace and reduces the healthcare workforce as physicians move toward retirement. A 2023 study found that 35% of physician respondents indicated they are likely to leave their current roles within the next five years, with 60% of respondents planning to leave clinical practice altogether (Medford-Davis). Those leaving are not restricted to retirees; many are looking to transition into administrative roles or pursue other paths.
The largest contributing factor to care team members leaving the field? Burnout.
The reality is we can no longer waste time-solving for symptoms. We must reorient the design of the field to better serve and protect care team members and outpace the coming healthcare staffing shortage. Provider enablement promises just that, and thoughtful care team design achieves it.
With fewer doctors, nurses, and technicians available to provide care, those who are available need to have every task that is not for their license level removed from their plate. Physicians and advanced practice providers should be focused first and foremost on providing patient care. Care teams can be most efficient and effective by bringing on members who specialize in light clinical duties, administrative tasks, documentation, and other support roles.
Our next blog on provider enablement will explore top-of-license care. We’ll discuss how to enable team member to provide care at the height of their skillset, what care team roles are instrumental in supporting top-of-license work, and how that shift in focus supports better outcomes overall.
Resources
Medford-Davis, Laura, and Rupal Malani. “The Physician Shortage Isn’t Going Anywhere.” McKinsey & Company, McKinsey & Company, 10 Sept. 2024, www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/the-physician-shortage-isnt-going-anywhere.
“New AAMC Report Shows Continuing Projected Physician Shortage.” AAMC, 21 Mar. 2024, www.aamc.org/news/press-releases/new-aamc-report-shows-continuing-projected-physician-shortage.
“Nursing Shortage Fact Sheet.” AACN, www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/fact-sheets/nursing-shortage. Accessed 7 July 2025.
Rostenstein, Lisa S., et al. “Incomplete Team Staffing, Burnout, and Work Intentions Among US Physicians.” JAMA Network, JAMA Internal Medicine, 14 May 2025, jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2833881.
Sullivan, Erin E., and Andy Ellner. “Strong Patient-Provider Relationships Drive Healthier Outcomes.” Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 9 Oct. 2015, hbr.org/2015/10/strong-patient-provider-relationships-drive-healthier-outcomes.
