A new survey released by Inlightened indicates that healthcare professionals are increasingly concerned about the future stability of the U.S. healthcare system, citing workforce pressures, burnout and rising patient care demands as major challenges over the next 24 months.
The Q2 2026 survey gathered responses from practicing physicians, nurses and healthcare leaders within Inlightened’s expert network. According to the findings, 70% of respondents believe the healthcare system is less stable than it was two years ago, while 72% expect conditions to deteriorate further over the next two years.
When asked to identify the single greatest threat to healthcare system stability, provider burnout emerged as the leading concern. Respondents also pointed to a combination of factors they believe will contribute to future decline, including:
Clinician burnout (82%)
Rising costs of care for patients (81%)
Workforce shortages (77%)
Reimbursement instability or funding volatility (77%)
Growth in uninsured or underinsured patient populations (71%)
Provider departures from clinical practice (62%)
Nearly half of respondents (49%) also expect staffing shortages within their own organizations to worsen.
Commenting on the findings, Shelli Pavone, president and co-founder of Inlightened, said, "These findings reinforce a critical gap in how decisions are being made across healthcare. Too often, policy, product and operational decisions are made without direct, real-time input from the clinicians delivering care, and the human infrastructure of our system is quietly eroding. Many experts in our network describe a system under increased strain, with growing concerns about burnout, workforce sustainability and the ability to meet demand. As leaders, policymakers and the industry plan for the future, the voices of those experts and the realities they see every day will be more important than ever."
The report also identified several priorities for healthcare organizations and decision-makers. These include involving clinicians earlier in technology implementation, particularly as artificial intelligence adoption expands; treating workforce sustainability as a leading indicator of organizational health; and incorporating continuous clinician feedback into strategic decision-making processes.
Karen Leitner, M.D., an internal medicine and pediatrics physician and member of the Inlightened expert network, emphasized the long-term implications of workforce strain. She stated, "The growing frustration is leading more clinicians to question their long-term future in the profession, which will create meaningful workforce challenges if left unaddressed. And this is happening at exactly the wrong moment: Patients are aging and presenting with more chronic conditions, complexity and need. The country is going to require more dedicated, qualified and experienced providers in the next decade—not fewer. If these pressures persist, it will become increasingly difficult to meet growing patient demand with the workforce available to deliver care."
The survey was conducted between April 2 and April 24, 2026, among a randomized sample of Inlightened’s clinician and healthcare expert network, representing more than 30 medical specialties and healthcare leadership roles. Findings are based on more than 100 responses, with response totals varying by question.
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