HRO Today's 2026 People in Healthcare Summit Addresses Critical Workforce Challenges

Healthcare organizations in the United States are entering 2026 under pressure from persistent staffing shortages, clinician burnout, rising labor costs, and the disruptive integration of AI and automation. Left unchecked, these challenges risk compromising patient care, employee well-being, and the long-term resilience of the healthcare sector. HR leaders can gain strategic advantages by networking with peers and learning about talent acquisition and retention strategies in a competitive healthcare market at the 2026 People in Healthcare Summit. This forum brings together HR leaders to share insights and innovations for future-proofing the healthcare workforce and best practice approaches to cross-generational workforce integration.

The 2026 HRO Today People in Healthcare event includes one-on-one interviews, presentations on HR Executive’s role in preparing organizations for digital transformation, and panel discussions. The summit features 14 expert speakers, with backgrounds in healthcare senior HR leadership roles. For more than a decade, HRO Today has recognized the dedication and achievements of HR executives at its global events. In keeping with this long tradition, the 2026 People in Healthcare Summit will once again shine a spotlight on HR leaders and teams who play a critical role in supporting the healthcare workers on the frontlines—ensuring they remain engaged, resilient, and ready to deliver improved patient outcomes.

The importance of this summit lies in its direct response to systemic threats facing healthcare delivery. Staffing shortages and clinician burnout have reached crisis levels in many regions, directly impacting patient access and quality of care. Simultaneously, the rapid integration of technologies like AI presents both opportunities for efficiency and risks of workforce displacement if not managed strategically. This convergence of human capital and technological challenges requires specialized HR leadership that understands the unique pressures of the healthcare environment.

By focusing on talent acquisition and retention strategies, the summit addresses the root causes of workforce instability rather than just symptoms. The competitive healthcare market means organizations must develop compelling value propositions to attract and keep skilled professionals. The cross-generational workforce integration component recognizes that healthcare teams now span multiple generations with different expectations, communication styles, and technological competencies. Effective integration is essential for collaboration and knowledge transfer.

The digital transformation presentations highlight how HR executives must evolve from administrative functions to strategic partners in organizational change. As healthcare adopts more automation and AI tools, HR leaders must guide workforce planning, reskilling initiatives, and change management to ensure technology enhances rather than replaces human capabilities. The summit’s timing in early 2026 allows organizations to implement lessons before year-end planning cycles, potentially influencing budget allocations and strategic priorities. The collective wisdom shared through this event could help stabilize healthcare workforce pipelines at a time when demographic shifts and post-pandemic realities have created unprecedented challenges.