The healthcare staffing sector has undergone significant transformation in recent years, driven by a range of factors including technological advancements, demographic shifts, and changing workforce expectations. 

If healthcare staffing agencies and platforms want to meet the ever-evolving needs of their clients, they’ll need to stay agile by understanding the latest trends in the industry. Here’s a brief look at some of the key healthcare staffing trends to be aware of as we head into 2025. 

1. New Healthcare Segments Expand & Contract

After experiencing strong growth during the pandemic, the travel nursing segment is now leveling back off; 2023 saw a 36% decrease in travel nursing and a 25% decrease in per-diem work.   

If your platform has previously relied on placing travel nurses or other per diem clinicians, consider expanding to sectors that are expected to grow, like the locum tenens segment. According to Staffing Industry Analysts, the locum tenens segment grew by 12% in 2023, and is projected to grow by an additional 7% this year, driven by increased volume and pay rates for certain specialties—including internists and certified RN anesthetists—that have become more crucial to care for an aging generation.

By focusing on the segments within healthcare that are experiencing new growth, your staffing platform can keep an eye to the future and help meet demand for qualified clinicians by recruiting the right specialized talent. You may also consider helping top clinicians learn new skills with additional training so they can thrive in multiple settings and roles.

2. A Significant Nursing Shortage Continues

While the nursing shortage throughout and following the pandemic made countless headlines, it still presents an issue today. With the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) projecting a shortage of 78,610 full-time RNs in 2025, and 63,720 in 2030, the ongoing nursing shortage remains one of the biggest challenges in healthcare, and one of the most important to pay attention to for healthcare staffing companies. 

Providing your clients with enough qualified clinicians to meet demand will remain a top challenge and concern as we head into the new year. Platforms will need to focus on finding new ways to recruit and retain clinicians, whether it’s focusing on more schedule flexibility, providing fast access to earnings, or offering other perks and incentives that can boost loyalty.

3. AI-Driven Recruitment Takes Off

While Artificial Intelligence continues to exert its influence over nearly every sector, healthcare staffing is no exception. Innovative healthcare staffing companies are increasingly turning to AI and data analytics to customize their recruiting strategies and predict staffing needs.

Staying ahead of the curve means being well-informed and ready to implement new technologies when they’re available to help your business. By leveraging historical data and predictive algorithms, your staffing platform can more easily forecast staffing needs and plan for the future. Additionally, real-time data insights can offer more adaptable recruiting strategies since they help you rapidly respond to changes in demand. 

Using these technologies to recruit faster and smarter can help decrease time-to-fill rates and improve the overall quality of hires you offer your clients. 

4. Increased Emphasis on Value-Based Care 

As the healthcare industry continues to move towards a system of value-based care, healthcare orgs and facilities will be judged (and rewarded) based more on patient outcomes instead of services performed.

Since this is an issue that will increasingly affect your clients in the years to come, it’s essential to plan for how your staffing platform can best support them. When you help fill job requisitions with engaged, experienced clinicians, you support your clients in ultimately delivering better patient care. The research has shown this connection for years: one study discovered a 25 percent increase in nurse job satisfaction over a two-year span was correlated with an overall improvement in the quality of care ranging from 5 to 20 percent.

While the clinicians you provide to healthcare facilities may be temporary workers, you can influence their overall job satisfaction and experience—and their overall job satisfaction can affect the quality of care they deliver. Finding ways to motivate your clinicians and create a positive experience is more crucial than ever. 

How Fast, Flexible Pay Plays a Key Role In Delivering Top Talent To Your Clients

As healthcare organizations continue to navigate the challenges of clinician shortages and increased pressure to deliver better care, your staffing platform can be the perfect partner to help them weather these storms. Supplying your clients with the qualified professionals needed to deliver high-quality patient care is undoubtedly the most important thing you can do. And by offering a competitive experience for your clinicians—including fast, flexible access to pay—you can continue to recruit and retain the experienced, engaged clinicians your clients will need to succeed. 

Learn how Branch helps healthcare staffing platforms deliver a competitive payments experience. 

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