The Healthcare Talent Fix: Build Pipelines Early, Use Data, and Get the Experience Right

There’s a growing tension inside healthcare right now—between the people leaving the workforce and the patients still arriving every day. It’s a dynamic that leaders can no longer afford to ignore. The numbers make that clear: the Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that the U.S. could be short of as many as 86,000 physicians by 2036, fueled by an aging population and a wave of retirements. So, how do healthcare organizations compete for talent at a time when the workforce is shrinking, expectations are shifting, and technology is rapidly changing how care is delivered? On this episode of I Don’t Care, host Dr. Kevin Stevenson sits down with River Meisinger, Regional Vice President of MSP & Strategic Accounts at AMN Healthcare, to unpack the evolving landscape of healthcare recruitment. Together, they explore how systems can build sustainable pipelines for executives, physicians, and the next generation of leaders. Top insights from the talk… Workforce shortages are structural, not temporary, driven by burnout, aging clinicians, and insufficient talent pipelines. AI and data are reshaping workforce planning, but success depends on pairing technology with a human-centered strategy. Gen Z is redefining career expectations, forcing healthcare leaders to rethink mentorship, growth pathways, and workplace culture. River Meisinger is a senior healthcare executive at AMN Healthcare, specializing in enterprise workforce solutions, strategic partnerships, and talent optimization across physician, leadership, and clinical staffing. With more than eight years of experience, he has led large-scale efforts in executive search, interim leadership, and workforce planning to strengthen operations and support patient-centered care. He holds a Healthcare MBA from Simmons University and is recognized for his work in healthcare workforce innovation. Article written by MarketScale.