April 10, 2026
April 1, 2026
The Ceipal Connect panel, “Predictions for the Next Era of Health Care Staffing,” hosted insightful discussions from esteemed experts in the healthcare industry. Moderated by Beth Fenske (Owner of NexaCare Consulting), the session featured valuable perspectives from Steve Curtin (President of Vidle) and Karolina Willis (Managing Director at Intercare Recruitment).
The conversation provided clarity on the future of healthcare staffing amidst technological advancement, structural shifts, and evolving clinician expectations. Below, we distill the key insights and actionable takeaways from this conversation for healthcare and staffing professionals looking to stay ahead of the curve.
Watch the full session below, or continue reading to learn the key takeaways.
Beth kicked off the discussion by recognizing healthcare staffing’s foundational strength, driven by clinician shortages, demographic changes, and the growing shift toward flexible work models. According to Beth, the staffing market will grow to $39.4 billion by 2025—a 63% surge compared to 2019's $24.2 billion. However, she cautioned that scale does not guarantee stability.
The takeaway is clear: Success will favor agencies that focus on adaptability, innovation, and deeper structural resilience. This involves engineering solutions that account for demographic shifts, long-term staffing pipeline strategies, and changing workforce expectations.
Both panelists agreed that AI will have significant implications for healthcare staffing, but emphasized that the human element remains irreplaceable.
Karolina underscored AI’s potential to streamline processes such as screening, credentialing, and analytics, saying that, “AI makes a big part and change in the healthcare staffing industry.” Yet, she firmly stated, “Human touch will never be replaced.” Her call for agencies to embrace strategic partnerships rather than exclusive reliance on vendor management systems (VMS) and managed service provider (MSP) systems reflected this ethos.
Karolina placed significant emphasis on trust-building and foresaw innovation focused on creating meaningful client-staffing relationships. She maintained that successful agencies will merge AI’s efficiency with human empathy to offer relationship-oriented services.
Steve echoed this sentiment, presenting AI not as a disruptor, but as a value add. He stated, “AI should take care of some of the mundane tasks,” freeing recruiters to deepen engagement with clinicians. However, firms that rely solely on automation may face challenges, as trust, empathy, and understanding cannot be automated. He asserted that such values will differentiate agencies in the increasingly competitive market.
Did you know? Ceipal built Recruiter Assistant, an AI agent, designed to make recruiting more efficient. Learn more here.
Changing clinician priorities and expectations emerged as a central theme, sparking critical dialogue between Karolina and Steve.
Karolina predicted that travel nursing might lose prominence in the next five to ten years. Instead, the industry will likely focus on clinician retention and international recruitment due to growing pressures. She cited minimum three-year commitments for international nurses as a potential solution, adding, “More hospitals and organizations are looking for international nurses.”
The takeaway here is evident: Agencies must pivot toward long-term placement models, emphasizing stability and flexibility rather than short-term transactional hiring.
Steve proposed “block scheduling” as a way forward—where clinicians work three or four days before returning home—or targeting broader geographies to meet the diverse needs of clinicians. He emphasized managing clinician expectations around rate adjustments, stating, “Some segments are looking for rates to return to COVID period highs, but that isn’t likely.” Meaningful conversations about pay and flexibility will determine how effectively agencies retain clinicians.
Beth posed the question, “What is one thing staffing firms are still doing today that they won’t be doing in five years?” The experts’ responses converged on the theme of differentiation and strategic partnerships.
Karolina advised focusing on quality relationships over quantity-based approaches. She declared, “Transactional agencies, focusing just on numbers, will not be as successful as they used to be,” articulating her belief that strategic calls and meaningful client engagement will drive future success.
Steve echoed these sentiments, saying, “Five strategic calls are better than 500 blasted-out emails.” He stressed the importance of building authentic connections, doing homework on client needs, and tailoring solutions with empathy and detail.
This marks the transition from high-volume cold-calling approaches to personalized engagement. Agencies must evolve to emphasize smarter business development practices that align with their client's unique challenges and goals.
Steve brought attention to housing as a significant pain point for traveling clinicians, stating, “Affordable housing near facilities is a huge challenge.” He advocated for agencies to work with platforms to help clinicians secure accommodations—setting themselves apart with added value beyond pay and placement.
Housing will emerge as a decisive differentiator for agencies aiming to provide holistic support to clinicians in the coming years.
The session concluded with a call for collaboration over competition. Karolina reminded attendees, “Agencies that merge, partner, and work together rather than against each other will create lasting impact.” Drawing on this sentiment, Beth emphasized that success depends on fostering industry-wide innovation and adaptability.
The Ceipal Connect panel offered actionable insights for healthcare staffing professionals to adapt to the changing landscape. The future lies in long-term relationship building, AI integration, differentiation, housing solutions, and strategic engagement with clients and clinicians. As the industry navigates these seismic shifts, firms that innovate, collaborate, and invest in value creation will thrive.
