By: The Capella University Editorial Team with Dr. Ben Spedding, Academic Program Director, Health Administration for the School of Business, Technology, Healthcare Administration
Reading Time: 9 minutes
The healthcare system is careening toward a critical inflection point in its workforce and technological development.
For people working in this environment, the challenge is no longer whether change will come. Instead, it’s how you stay prepared, keep your skills current and stay confident in a field where the demands of today may look different from the realities of tomorrow.
Many professionals feel the weight of rising complexity, information overload and the need to balance career growth with personal well-being.
Explore how you can stay ready for what comes next and discover four healthcare industry trends shaping 2026 with insights from Dr. Ben Spedding, academic program director for Health Administration at Capella University.
We are witnessing significant changes in healthcare, which may offer an early indication of what the next few years may hold. Understanding these trends may help you plan ahead and feel more confident as new tools and expectations emerge.
Here are four developments that may shape your work in 2026.
AI is accelerating the digital shift in healthcare, expanding what’s possible for patients and professionals alike.
Telemedicine, wearable devices, electronic health records and health apps are now part of everyday care, changing how people monitor their well-being and how they expect to interact with healthcare providers and systems.
AI-driven tools are amplifying this evolution. AI has the potential to support more accurate assessments and help make certain clinical processes simpler, which may in turn offer clearer care pathways and operational efficiencies for organizations.
Predictive analytics models are also being used to help identify patients at higher risk of complications or readmission, giving care teams the opportunity to intervene earlier and support better outcomes.
These advances are reshaping workflows behind the scenes as well. Machine learning models can help clinicians spot trends in large datasets or flag documentation gaps, while automation tools streamline scheduling, billing and chart review.
As AI adoption grows, roles are expanding in areas such as:
These positions may offer opportunities to blend clinical insight with technology-driven care.
Ready to move forward? Explore Capella’s online health sciences degrees.
Healthcare organizations are placing greater emphasis on population health and preventive care, shifting attention toward the root causes of illness and long-term wellness.
Dr. Spedding notes that leaders and care teams across the continuum should work together with their communities to respond to these broader influences on health. These efforts often include community health programs, vaccination campaigns, health education and lifestyle-based interventions.
Patients are also engaging with healthcare more like consumers, seeking convenience, transparency and personalized support. Digital tools, such as patient portals and mobile communication platforms, are helping to meet these expectations by offering easier access to information and increased visibility into care plans.
These shifts are influencing the roles and skills needed across the field. Opportunities are in areas like care coordination, health informatics, patient engagement and telehealth support, with technology creating more blended or hybrid roles.
Soft skills such as communication and the ability to guide patients through complex decisions are becoming increasingly important alongside clinical expertise. Together, these developments reflect a more proactive approach to wellness that may help professionals support patients more effectively.
Expanding access to healthcare and reducing disparities in care delivery remain central priorities for many organizations.
“If there is anything we learned from the global pandemic, it is the wide disparities that exist for access to care,” says Dr. Spedding.
Health systems are responding by broadening coverage options, increasing the availability of primary care services and addressing social determinants of health that influence long-term outcomes.
Digital engagement tools are also helping support more consistent access. Patient portals, mobile apps and telehealth platforms allow people to schedule visits, review results and communicate with care teams from a distance.
Many organizations are using patient satisfaction surveys and digital feedback tools to measure how well these resources are meeting community needs and to identify areas for improvement. Together, these access and inclusion efforts may help patients experience more coordinated, equitable and responsive care.
Healthcare organizations are steadily shifting from fee-for-service models to value-based care, which ties reimbursement to the quality of care delivered rather than the number of services provided.
This approach encourages stronger care coordination, more accountability across provider teams and the adoption of alternative payment methods such as bundled payments and capitation.
“For example,” Dr. Spedding says, “Case rate payments reimburse provider organizations one time for the total cost of the procedure. This then incentivizes a collaborative partnership between the patient and clinician. These partnerships foster high-quality, cost-effective care to be delivered, no more, no less.”
Rising healthcare spending adds urgency to these changes.
Digital tools that support patient engagement, such as portals and satisfaction surveys, are also becoming part of value-based strategies. These tools help teams track experience measures and identify improvements, which may support both patient outcomes and more balanced revenue management.
For professionals, this shift is influencing the skills needed to support modern care models. Many roles now require you to be comfortable with data, quality measurement and care coordination, along with an understanding of how clinical decisions affect cost and long-term outcomes.
Communication skills, teamwork and the ability to guide patients through their care journeys are equally important as organizations work to align quality, experience and financial sustainability.
The changes shaping healthcare today influence the skills professionals may need, the roles emerging in the field and the way careers transform over time. Workforce projections reflect this pressure.
According to survey data collected by Lightcast, healthcare employers are already confronting a widening skills gap and aging population. Their analysis notes that industry leadership must make “[e]very effort to train new nurses,” with the emerging skills that employers value. This growing mismatch highlights the sustained need for skilled healthcare talent across the workforce.
With so many evolving trends, many professionals feel the strain of information overload or uncertainty about which developments will affect their daily work.
Here are the key areas to focus on when navigating the shifting healthcare landscape with greater clarity.
As care delivery becomes increasingly complex, many professionals discover that acquiring new skills can help them remain confident and adaptable in their roles. Continuous learning, upskilling and pursuing advanced education may support long-term career resilience by helping you respond to changing tools, expectations and priorities in the field.
“[Capella faculty] have discussions about what types of skills they are looking for when they hire staff,” says Dr. Spedding. “Then we work to build these skill levels and competencies into Capella’s healthcare curriculum. We also look to market trends to keep our curriculum relevant for students.”
With Capella, you can choose the learning format that fits your life. FlexPath (available for select programs) lets you set your own deadlines and move through material at your own pace, while GuidedPath provides a structured format with weekly milestones. No matter which format you choose, you’ll have the support of faculty and dedicated academic coaches.
Many emerging roles in healthcare rely on comfort with digital tools and data-driven decision-making. Professionals may benefit from strengthening competencies such as:
Capella’s health sciences degree programs are built around a competency-based approach designed to help you practice real skills as you learn them. You’ll complete assignments that mirror workplace needs, such as executive summaries, strategic plans and compliance dashboards, giving you opportunities to apply concepts in practical, hands-on ways.
Explore degrees from Capella University to learn healthcare policy and business skills:
Some of Capella’s healthcare programs are also interdisciplinary. This gives students the opportunity to learn business, nursing, information technology and public health concepts together. Dr. Spedding believes this approach gives students a broader perspective. It also supports their ability to form collaborative partnerships. Together, these skills help promote positive health outcomes when they move into the field.
Understanding how to stay current can feel overwhelming, especially when new tools, policies and expectations continue to evolve. Dr. Spedding recommends focusing on actions that support both short-term awareness and long-term career growth.
Dr. Spedding further notes that a commitment to learning and connecting with peers may help professionals stay current with advancements and understand how industry changes could shape their roles.
Healthcare has always centered on people, both those receiving care and those who devote their careers to supporting them. As technology, policy and patient expectations continue to shift, professionals who are open to learning may feel more prepared to navigate those changes.
You deserve an education that keeps pace with those changes. At Capella, you learn with guidance from experienced faculty and programs shaped by real industry needs. This approach helps you build relevant, practice-ready competencies for today’s healthcare environment.
If you’re considering your next step, explore Capella’s flexible online healthcare degrees and see how they may support your professional goals.
Ready to move forward? Explore Capella’s online health sciences degrees.
Key trends may include broader AI integration in clinical and administrative workflows, ongoing workforce shortages, expanded value-based care models and continued growth in virtual health. These shifts highlight the importance of educational preparation that builds digital literacy, data skills and adaptability for an evolving healthcare environment.
Organizations are managing rising cost pressures, staffing shortages, technology adoption barriers and persistent health equity gaps. For professionals, these challenges may present opportunities to apply new skills, contribute to problem-solving efforts and support approaches that strengthen patient experience and organizational performance.
Professionals may benefit from continuous learning, pursuing advanced degrees, building technology and data competencies and staying connected through professional organizations or networks. These steps can help support long-term readiness as new tools, care models and expectations continue to shape the field.
Skills that may be increasingly valuable include data analytics, digital health proficiency, leadership, change management and patient-centered care competencies. Together, these abilities can help professionals navigate new technologies, collaborate effectively across teams and support care models focused on quality and long-term outcomes.
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