Healthcare volume trends continue to transition from high-cost acute care to low-cost outpatient clinics and home-based care, driven by patient preferences for convenience and cost. This trend is expected to have a profound impact on healthcare systems in the coming years.

The aging population and increasing disease prevalence are driving a significant shift in healthcare demand, leading to a need for more expensive and complex care. Technological advancements that enable hospitals to provide higher levels of care to patients will impact future inpatient volumes but come at a greater cost. For example, an increased need for cardiovascular services will challenge inpatient services, as volume projections for transcatheter valve procedures is projected to increase by 111% by 2033, according to Sg2’s Impact of Change Forecast. These trends suggest strong future growth for service lines that cater to patients with complex medical needs but present new challenges for health systems.

The increase in patients with multiple comorbidities no longer stems from the traditional elderly population but has shifted to a greater number of younger individuals who present with unpredictable, high-risk medical needs that necessitate a change in clinical models. According to Modern Healthcare, executives at Fairview Health Services, Scripps Health, Vanderbilt Health, UVA Health, Northwell Health, Advocate Health, Adventist HealthCare, Cleveland Clinic and Endeavor Health said their inpatient facilities were at, near or over capacity. The patients they treat are increasingly sicker, and many are using the emergency room to access care.

As health systems prepare for increased volume from patients that are medical in nature, meeting short- and long-term staffing needs is critical to meeting changing healthcare demands. Thirty-seven percent of healthcare CFOs plan to increase hiring in 2025, up from 25% in 2024, according to the 2025 Healthcare CFO Outlook Survey, in addition to pursuing facility expansion strategies.

For more insight into the varied dynamics within the healthcare staffing sector, SIA corporate members can read the recently published US Staffing Industry Forecast March 2025 Update report. SIA will also hold a Staffing Industry Review webinar on April 8, which will provide in depth coverage of the healthcare staffing market as well as economic and employment trends in the US economy.