Understanding Healthcare Staffing Shortages in 2026

If you're reading this, chances are you don't need another lecture on why healthcare staffing is hard. You're living it. You're the one juggling schedules, fielding calls from overworked teams, and wondering how to keep everything running smoothly when the proverbial "help wanted" sign has been up for months.

We wrote this article because we know the pressure is real. The numbers we share here paint a picture of a system under stress, but we also know that behind every data point is a person: a clinic manager trying to cover next week's shifts, a hospital administrator looking for long-term solutions, or a practice owner who just wants their community to have reliable access to care. Wherever you're reading this from, we see you. And we want you to know you're not in this alone. Let’s explore this complex issue together. 

Understanding staffing shortages in healthcare

• Healthcare staffing shortages at a glance
• What’s causing healthcare staffing shortages in 2026?
• Where is the greatest shortage of healthcare workers?
• What are healthcare organizations doing to combat staffing shortages?
• What legislation is needed to fight staffing shortages in healthcare?
• We’re with you in the fight for better staffing

Healthcare staffing shortages at a glance

• Physician shortages lead the pack: The numbers are in, and they're a wake-up call. By 2038, the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis (NCHWA) projects we'll be short over 141,000 physicians.
• Where it hits hardest: By 2038, states like California, Texas, and much of the Midwest and Southeast will feel the pinch for Physician Assistants. The need is especially acute in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Hawaii, which are forecast to have only about a third to half of the PAs they'll need. 
• Hardest-hit specialties: Two areas of care are particularly tough to access: behavioral and women's health. The NCHWA predicts shortages of 99,780 mental health counselors, 99,840 psychologists, and 43,810 psychiatrists as well as 46% shortage of OB-GYNS in nonmetro areas. And for families in rural areas, finding an OB-GYN is already hard; the NCHWA predicts a 46% shortage in nonmetro areas. 
• Big state, big problems: States with massive healthcare systems, like California, Florida, and New York, are projected to experience steep shortages of specialized professionals like Nurse Anesthetists. 
• In need of nurses: Among nurses, the strain shows up differently. By 2028, we're looking at an 83% adequacy rate for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), meaning we'll only have about 8 LPNs for every 10 jobs. Registered Nurses (RNs) will also be in short supply at 92%.

What’s causing healthcare staffing shortages in 2026?

The largest factor driving shortages is the simple reality that America is getting older. Not only are millions of Baby Boomers retiring from the workforce (taking their decades of experience with them), they're also the very generation that needs more healthcare, leaving the country with fewer providers to care for a larger, older patient population.

Then there's the issue of burnout. The pandemic put healthcare workers under a microscope, and the stress hasn't faded. Long hours, administrative burdens, and emotional fatigue are driving many talented professionals to leave the bedside early or choose less stressful roles outside of patient care. It's hard to keep the pipeline full when so many are pouring out.

Finally, there's the training bottleneck. We don't just need people who want to become doctors or nurses; we need the educational infrastructure to train them. There simply aren't enough clinical placements, instructors, or residency slots to meet the growing demand, creating a logjam that keeps qualified candidates from entering the field.

Where is the greatest shortage of healthcare workers?

Nonmetro areas will experience the greatest shortage of healthcare workers by far. Only 42% of nonmetro areas will have an adequate number of physicians by 2038. That means in more than half of rural communities, finding a doctor could be a real challenge.

Even in professions that look healthy nationwide, the rural reality is different. While there will actually be a surplus of Physician Assistants overall, nonmetro areas are projected to have just three PAs for every four jobs. The same goes for Registered Nurses (RNs) . Across the country, the shortage is modest, but rural areas are projected to need about 60,350 more RNs, with an adequacy rate of just 89%. 

Drilling down to the state level data from the NCHWA, some of the biggest states are facing some of the biggest gaps. By 2038, Florida, Texas, and Georgia will have the highest number of unfilled physician roles. It's not just doctors, either. Texas and Florida will also see significant shortages of PAs. And out on the West Coast, California is staring down a multi-front challenge with projected shortfalls in key roles including Physician Assistants, RNs, Nurse Anesthetists, and LPNs.

What are healthcare organizations doing to combat staffing shortages?

Walk into any hospital administrators' meeting right now, and you'll hear the same question: how do we keep our doors fully staffed? With no magic bullet in sight, healthcare organizations are getting creative, piecing together a mix of short-term fixes and long-term investments.

One of the most immediate tactics is turning to locum tenens, temporary providers who fill gaps like substitute teachers do in schools. These traveling nurses, doctors, and PAs can step in during peak times, covering maternity leave or bridging the gap while a permanent hire is recruited. Healthcare organizations use a combination of specialized locums agencies, managed service providers, and float pools to fill in short staffing gaps. 

Then there's the all-important work on retention. After all, the best way to fill a shortage is to stop the leak in the first place. Organizations are taking a hard look at why people leave and trying to address it. This means everything from loan forgiveness programs and tuition reimbursement to rethinking shift schedules for better work-life balance. Some are even investing in wellness initiatives to combat the burnout that's been driving so many away from the bedside.

What legislation is needed to fight staffing shortages in healthcare?

While hospitals can do a lot on their own, many of the deepest-rooted challenges will need action at the policy level. So, what kinds of laws are experts calling for?

First, there's a major push in Congress to tackle the physician shortage at its source. The problem dates back to a cap on Medicare-funded graduate medical education (GME) slots instituted in the 1990s. As the AMA's President, Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, explains, "The cap has not allowed care to meet the major changes in patient population and demographics that have taken place." 

With the U.S. facing a projected shortage of 86,000 physicians by 2036, lawmakers have revived a bill to add 14,000 new GME slots over seven years. This legislation would directly fund more residency positions, creating a pathway for thousands of new doctors to train and eventually practice where they're needed most. It's a concrete step toward unclogging a pipeline that's been restricted for decades.

Another key area is immigration reform, and a new bipartisan bill offers a smart, targeted solution. According to reporting by the AHA, the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, recently reintroduced in Congress, would "recapture" up to 25,000 unused immigrant visas for nurses and 15,000 for physicians. These green cards were previously authorized by Congress but expired due to bureaucratic delays. 

The bill includes important safeguards too: employers must attest that these hires won't displace American workers, and every applicant must meet licensing requirements, pass background checks, and pay filing fees. For hospitals in underserved communities that have been waiting to clear visa backlogs, this legislation could bring skilled, vetted professionals to the bedside much faster.

Let's find a better way forward together

At Locumly, we believe that fighting staffing shortages shouldn't mean fighting an endless battle on your own. We specialize in placing Advanced Practice Providers—Nurse Practitioners, and Physician Assistants—into the roles where they're needed most. Whether you're looking for locum tenens coverage to bridge an immediate gap or hoping to build a more stable long-term staffing plan, our job is to make your job easier.

So, if the challenges in this article feel familiar, let's talk. Reach out to Locumly today, and let's find the right APPs to lighten your load and strengthen your team. Because when it comes to fighting for better staffing, we're with you every step of the way.