ABOUT THIS EPISODE
A new survey of more than 4,000 healthcare professionals uncovered something more troubling than a staffing shortage: a widening gap between what leaders believe is happening in their organizations and what clinicians actually experience every day. In this episode of Elevate Care, host Kerry Perez talks with Tessa Misiaszek, President of Leadership and Advisory Solutions at AMN Healthcare, about the findings from AMN's 2026 Healthcare Workforce Outlook survey and the new Healthcare Workforce Outlook Index it introduces.
Tessa unpacks why the index landed at just 38%, with none of its five underlying components exceeding 50%, and what that tells leaders about the need for integrated, organization-wide thinking rather than isolated fixes. The conversation covers the disconnect between finance leaders' confidence in workforce data and the reality of fragmented reporting, why 84% of healthcare workers feel underappreciated despite most wanting to stay in the profession, and why burnout, staffing shortages, and compensation need to be addressed as one interconnected system instead of three separate problems.
Tessa and Kerry also discuss what future-ready healthcare leadership looks like as a generational shift reshapes the C-suite, how technology and AI should be evaluated through the lens of giving time back to clinicians, and why retention redesign may offer the greatest opportunity for healthcare organizations today. This episode offers healthcare executives a clear-eyed look at where the workforce truly stands, and a practical starting point for building a more resilient organization.
Download the full report: AMN Healthcare Workforce Outlook Survey
Key Takeaways· The Healthcare Workforce Outlook Index scored 38%, with none of its five sub-indices above 50%, signaling that workforce challenges span the whole organization rather than one department.
· Sixty percent of finance leaders feel confident in their workforce reporting, yet only 48% have integrated workforce data, raising the risk of high-stakes decisions built on incomplete information.
· Eighty-four percent of healthcare workers feel underappreciated, and while roughly 80% of nurses want to remain in the profession, one in two plan to leave their current employer within the year.
· Burnout, staffing shortages, and compensation function as an interconnected cycle. Addressing one in isolation risks worsening the others.
· Only 38% of executives feel confident in their workforce forecasting, and about one-third have formal succession planning in place, underscoring workforce planning as an enterprise-level priority.
· Retention redesign, not just recruitment, offers healthcare organizations one of the greatest opportunities to strengthen culture and reduce turnover.
Chapters00:00 – Introduction to the healthcare workforce outlook survey
01:26 – Meet Tessa Misiaszek and first reactions to the data
02:01 – Understanding the 38% workforce outlook index
03:31 – Finance confidence versus workforce data reality
04:56 – The leadership and frontline disconnect
06:34 – Why 84% of healthcare workers feel underappreciated
07:53 – Burnout, staffing, and compensation as an interconnected cycle
09:39 – Workforce planning as an enterprise-wide priority
11:29 – Evaluating AI and technology through a clinician-first lens
14:14 – Retention redesign as the greatest opportunity
16:09 – Leadership capabilities for the next three to five years
19:08 – Final takeaways for healthcare leaders
Tessa Misiaszek is President of Leadership and Advisory Solutions at AMN Healthcare, where she works with health systems nationwide to strengthen leadership capabilities, workforce strategy, and organizational culture. With years of experience guiding healthcare organizations through workforce transformation, Tessa brings a practical, data-informed perspective to some of the sector's most pressing talent challenges, from retention design to succession planning to preparing leaders for the next generation of healthcare delivery.
Access the 2026 Healthcare Workforce Outlook Survey
Download the full report to explore what these findings mean for retention, staffing, care quality, and workforce strategy.
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About The Show:
Elevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes. Learn more about the show here.
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