A New Era for Healthcare: Addressing Workforce Challenges with AI
Alexandria, Va. – October 20, 2025 — As the United States grapples with an unprecedented healthcare workforce crisis, a newly released white paper urges federal and state policymakers to revamp antiquated laws, regulations, and payment frameworks to fully unleash the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare delivery.
Entitled “Aging Well with AI: Transforming Care Delivery,” this report was commissioned by HealthFORCE in collaboration with the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) and West Health, and developed by The LINUS Group.
It represents the second installment in a two-part series that scrutinizes the ways in which AI can enhance care teams, broaden access, and alleviate the mounting pressures on America’s healthcare system.
“The current architecture of America’s healthcare system is ill-suited for future demands. We cannot merely innovate around a malfunctioning framework—we must modernize it,” remarked Lisa M. Gables, CEO of AAPA and founder of HealthFORCE.
“This paper clearly demonstrates that while AI alone won’t resolve workforce shortages, thoughtful policy reform can significantly alleviate burden and extend care to a wider population.”
With a forecasted deficiency of 3.2 million healthcare professionals by 2026 and an aging demographic exhibiting increasingly intricate care requirements, the U.S. faces a dual crisis of access and workforce.
The paper delineates the transformative potential of AI tools in tackling these pressing challenges. Among the highlighted technologies are ambient documentation systems that minimize charting time, virtual care coordination platforms that facilitate streamlined referrals and follow-ups, and tailored clinical education resources that enable providers to remain abreast of ongoing advancements. Such innovations are demonstrating their effectiveness through pilot programs nationwide.
A proposed Risk/Impact Matrix is included to steer the prioritization of adoption and policy initiatives. Use cases deemed low in risk yet high in impact should be expedited, encompassing:
- Ambient AI Scribes: Liberating clinicians from redundant documentation, thus allowing for greater patient engagement.
- AI-Supported Care Coordination: Mitigating duplicate tests and overlooked referrals through intelligent triage and automated processes.
- On-Demand Clinical Training: Equipping providers with AI-assisted continuing education tailored to rapidly evolving roles.
Additionally, the report discusses high-impact yet more intricate applications such as AI-assisted diagnostics and remote monitoring for vulnerable patients, deeming them critical for future innovation.
Importantly, the document asserts that even the most promising innovations will stagnate if healthcare providers remain shackled by antiquated supervisory requirements, barred from the autonomous use of digital platforms, or reimbursed based on outdated models that prioritize documentation over patient outcomes. Specific policy reforms are delineated to facilitate the expansive integration of AI in care delivery:
- Modernize Practice Laws: Revise both state and federal statutes to empower providers—particularly PAs and NPs—to practice to the fullest extent of their training, fostering wider AI implementation in clinical care, coordination, and home-based models.
- Shift Payment Models: Transition from volume-centric reimbursement to models that incentivize continuity, outcomes, and technology-driven care.
- Streamline Documentation Requirements: Harmonize federal billing protocols with the capabilities of AI-powered systems to alleviate unnecessary administrative burdens.
- Establish National AI Standards: Create comprehensive safety, equity, and interoperability frameworks to govern the responsible deployment of AI tools in various care environments.
“Breakthroughs in discovery won’t transform care without investment in the infrastructure necessary for their delivery. AI serves as a formidable instrument driving operational innovation—optimizing workflows, coordinating care, and expanding capacity; however, without modernized systems and policies, its potential will remain unrealized,” the report concludes.
The two reports in the “Aging Well with AI” series compellingly argue: while AI has the capacity to address the workforce crisis, doing so is contingent upon resolving the underlying policy crises first.
Source link: Miragenews.com.
