America's hospitals are doing something they were not designed to do: build the workforce they cannot find. More than ever, health systems across the country are paying for workers' training and certifications to fill chronically short-staffed positions — turning themselves into educators out of necessity rather than strategy.
KFF Health News reported June 16, 2026 that health systems are stepping up efforts to increase the skills of clinicians and support staff in response to compounding pressures: limits on student loans reducing the pipeline of trained workers, high workforce expenses straining already-compressed hospital margins, and Medicaid reimbursement pressures cutting into total revenue.
