AMN Healthcare Report Projects Persistent Workforce Strain Across Nursing, Allied Health, Physicians and Advanced Practitioners Through 2030
Rhea-AI Summary
AMN Healthcare (NYSE: AMN) released a white paper, Healthcare Staffing Projections Through 2030, outlining how aging demographics, rising chronic disease and rural access gaps are expected to drive sustained healthcare workforce demand. The analysis aggregates five years of AMN staffing engagements across nursing, allied health, physicians and advanced practitioners, combined with federal data, to project supply-demand trends through 2030.
Key findings include a projected physician shortage of up to 86,000 by 2036, with over 30% of active physicians already 60 or older. RN demand has eased from pandemic peaks, but filled positions fell faster, driving a nearly 7% decline in fill rates for the top five RN specialties from 2021 to 2025. In 2025, urban RN fill rates were nearly three times rural levels, and more than 7,700 primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas affected 76 million Americans, requiring an estimated 13,254 additional primary care providers. Allied health demand remains strong, with CT technologist demand more than doubling since 2021. The report also notes that AI-enabled automation could free 13–21% of nurses’ working hours, or about 240–400 hours per nurse annually.
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Key Figures
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 06 | Q2 earnings report | Positive | +16.9% | Revenue increased and adjusted earnings improved year over year. |
| Jul 07 | Earnings call scheduling | Neutral | -3.5% | Company scheduled its Q2 earnings release and conference call. |
| Jun 24 | Brightfield partnership | Positive | +1.5% | Partnership added third-party labor market data to workforce intelligence. |
| Jun 15 | Leadership appointments | Neutral | +0.3% | Company appointed new commercial and people officers effective June 15. |
| Jun 09 | Jaide acquisition | Positive | -2.3% | Acquisition expanded AI-enabled language access services without disclosed financial terms. |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Recent positive announcements produced mixed reactions: Q2 earnings and the Brightfield partnership aligned positively, while the Jaide acquisition diverged negatively.
Key Terms
health professional shortage areas regulatory
fill rate technical
licensure compacts regulatory
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
New white paper finds aging population, chronic disease, rural access gaps and supply-demand imbalances will continue to shape healthcare workforce needs
The report finds that healthcare organizations will continue to face sustained staffing pressure as the
"Healthcare organizations are planning for a future where workforce demand is being shaped by multiple forces at once, from aging demographics and chronic disease to rural access challenges, physician shortages and rapid changes in technology," said Cary Grace, President and CEO of AMN Healthcare. "The organizations best positioned for the next era of care will be those that have multi-faceted workforce optimization strategies, using predictive planning and data and analytics to build and operationalize workforce models that create a high-quality, engaged and cost-effective workforce."
Key Findings:
- Physician shortages are projected to persist. A physician shortage of up to 86,000 is projected by 2036, with primary care and specialty roles most affected. More than 30 percent of active physicians are age 60 or older, and 20 percent are age 65 or older.
- RN supply is not keeping pace with demand. Although RN demand decreased from pandemic-era highs, AMN's analysis found the decline in filled positions was even more pronounced, and the average fill rate for the top five RN specialties decreased nearly 7 percent from 2021 to 2025.
- Rural staffing gaps remain significant. In 2025, the urban RN fill rate was nearly three times the rural rate, highlighting the persistent challenge rural facilities face in securing nursing talent. More than 7,700 designated Health Professional Shortage Areas for primary care affect 76 million Americans, and an estimated 13,254 additional primary care providers are needed to eliminate those designations.
- Allied health demand remains strong. Demand for CT technologists has more than doubled since 2021, representing the most significant and sustained growth among the top five allied specialties analyzed.
- AI and automation may help relieve staffing pressure. The report notes that AI-enabled task automation could allow nurses to reclaim between 13 and 21 percent of their working hours, equivalent to 240 to 400 hours per nurse each year.
"Staffing challenges are no longer isolated to one discipline, region or care setting," said Robin Johnson, Group President of Nursing, Allied & Physician Solutions at AMN Healthcare. "The data points to a healthcare labor market that will require more precise planning, greater workforce flexibility and stronger pipelines across physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers and allied health professionals."
To help healthcare organizations prepare for future workforce needs, the white paper identifies several strategies to strengthen supply, improve mobility and support more flexible staffing models, including expanded graduate medical education funding, reduced barriers for international medical graduates, strategic use of locum tenens, expanded nursing and allied health education programs, and broader adoption of licensure compacts.
The full white paper, Healthcare Staffing Projections Through 2030, is available at Healthcare Staffing Projections Through 2030.
This press release as well as the related white paper contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements concerning future healthcare workforce supply and demand, projected staffing needs, anticipated hiring trends, clinician shortages, labor market dynamics, workforce participation rates, demographic and population trends, healthcare utilization patterns, and other forecasts, estimates, projections and assumptions regarding the future healthcare staffing environment. AMN Healthcare Services, Inc. (the "Company") bases these forward-looking statements on its current beliefs, expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about future events and the industry in which it operates. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "will," "should," "would," "project," "forecast," "estimate," "may," variations of such words and other similar expressions. In addition, statements that refer to anticipated workforce trends, projected labor market conditions, future staffing requirements, expected industry developments and other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements.
The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Factors and other cautionary statements that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release and related white paper are outlined in (i) the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and (ii) its subsequent periodic reports, current reports, and other SEC filings.
Be advised that developments subsequent to this press release and related white paper are likely to cause these statements to become outdated and the Company is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
About AMN Healthcare
AMN Healthcare is the leader and innovator in total talent solutions for health care, bringing together the people, processes and technology to deliver better care. Through a steadfast partnership approach, we solve the most pressing workforce challenges to enable better clinical outcomes and access to care. In 2025, our health care professionals reached more than 13 million patients at more than 2,300 health care systems, including
Media Contact Corporate Communications AMN Healthcare | Investor Contact Randle Reece Vice President, Investor Relations & Strategy AMN Healthcare (866) 861-3229 | ir@amnhealthcare.com |
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SOURCE AMN Healthcare Services, Inc.