In 2025, LocumTenens.com will celebrate our 30th anniversary. And if the last three decades have taught us anything, it’s that the healthcare industry is always developing and changing. Based on our work across healthcare organizations, working alongside practicing clinicians and collaborating with other healthcare industry leaders across the country, we’re in a unique position to identify and assess key developments in the industry, and project how they’ll shape healthcare workforce management and staffing in the coming year.
The main takeaway from 2024? This year saw considerable swings in healthcare staffing, rates and care delivery models.
These seven insights from 2024 highlight shifts in healthcare staffing and set expectations for the future:
1. Pay rates remain high
In the years following the pandemic, bill rates for contingent staffing have plateaued but remain higher than their pre-2020 levels, especially for specialized care roles. Clinicians exiting the workforce (for retirement and other reasons) have increased the demand for skilled healthcare professionals. Other pressures such as operational costs, inflation, and movement away from traditional workforce roles and toward flexible locum tenens work styles continue to affect bill rates.
2. Care delivery settings are shifting
Surgical care is increasingly moving away from hospitals to freestanding ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). For example, in 2019 6.5% of total knee replacements were conducted in ASCs; that figure is expected to surpass 35% in the coming years. This shift will affect hospitals’ bottom lines in orthopedics, cardiovascular care, urology, pain management and general surgery —and they will need to work to stay competitive.
3. Rise of convenient care clinics
Traditional physician visits are giving ground to urgent care and retail clinics, supported by the expansion of advanced practice professional (APP) roles. This creates more opportunities for care in underserved areas.
4. Remote care is becoming a must for patients
Years after the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work and telehealth solutions, digital health continues to grow. Today, many patients are replacing in-person visits with remote consultations, especially in primary care, dermatology, psychiatry and pediatrics. Telehealth is gaining traction in specialties once considered unsuitable for remote care and shows great potential for resilience through downturns.
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5. Aging workforce
As the average lifespan increases, an aging clinician workforce and increasing retirement rates (combined with a disproportionate number of new providers entering the workforce) continue to contribute to vacancies in the labor market and gaps in the care continuum.
6. Evolution of the gig economy
Driven by a strong preference for flexibility on both the employer and professional perspectives, the burgeoning gig economy is altering the staffing landscape. There is visible growth in clinicians seeking alternate workstyles that accommodate their desire for flexibility and control, and employers in healthcare have more opportunities to leverage clinicians for contract-based labor.
7. Legislative reprioritization
Changes in political leadership in the U.S. will influence how policies manifest in healthcare funding, labor rules and insurance access. Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements, public health initiatives and immigration policy will impact staffing needs, particularly in underserved areas.
These top trends are shaping how we plan ahead for 2025:
- Staffing and optimization: SIA 2024 US Staffing Industry Forecast saw 12% growth in demand for locum tenens providers as part of healthcare workforces, projected to be the fastest-growing segment in the healthcare sector. The increased demand could exacerbate the strain on an already limited supply of labor during this ongoing provider shortage. Successfully clearing these hurdles will require a reliable source for talented care providers like LocumTenens.com, and detailed analysis and optimization of overall workforce strategies like Venn Workforce Optimization, helping medical practices realize sustainable ROI.
- Data-driven workforce insights: The ability to approach unforeseen market challenges dynamically will become a major differentiator for healthcare organizations competing to offer the best services for patient communities. Technologies like Kimedics support healthcare leaders with real-time workforce data infrastructures, enabling them to make informed, strategy-level decisions quickly.
- Expanding access to medical expertise: Considering the challenges in the healthcare staffing industry ahead, healthcare organizations will need access to specialized professionals within their field. Traditionally, finding, vetting, contracting and scheduling these professionals is cumbersome and time-consuming. Inlightened, a LocumTenens.com company, provides access to a curated network of highly specialized healthcare professionals, expanding access to these individuals and fostering a culture of knowledge, transparency and meaningful change. In 2025, we expect to see a growing need for this kind of network in order for organizations to continue providing superior patient care.
To be successful in 2025, healthcare organizations will need to be adaptable and forward-thinking. Flexible workforces and constant optimization are key for success through market fluctuations — whether projected or unforeseen.
As your strategic partner, LocumTenens.com is here to help you deliver exceptional care. Our commitment to innovation and strategic investment enables us to support healthcare facilities and clinicians alike, ensuring quality care across diverse settings as the industry develops.
