PHILADELPHIA, PA, Mar 30, 2026 - (ACN Newswire) - A new international report released today by TruMerit™ calls for a fundamental redesign of healthcare workforce models to address global staffing shortages and strengthen patient care. The report, "Safe Staffing Through New Models of Care," presents a systems-based framework to help health leaders, regulators, and policymakers rethink how care teams are structured, how clinicians work together, and how technology can support safer and more sustainable care delivery.
Developed by an international taskforce of health system leaders, regulators, academic experts, and clinical innovators, the report emphasizes that solving workforce shortages requires more than simply increasing the number of clinicians. Instead, it calls for modernizing care delivery models to enable health professionals to practice to the full extent of their training, expand interprofessional teamwork, and integrate digital health technologies.
"The global health workforce crisis cannot be solved simply by adding more clinicians," said Peter Preziosi, PhD, RN, CAE, FAAN, President and CEO of TruMerit. "Safe staffing requires a systems view of how care is delivered. This framework provides guideposts for policymakers and health system leaders to align workforce policy, service delivery, and outcomes - so care teams can meet patient needs safely, sustainably, and in ways that reflect local realities."
The framework outlined in the report is organized around three interconnected domains:
- Systems and Inputs: regulatory policies, workforce infrastructure, and education systems
- Service Delivery: team-based care, hybrid staffing models, telehealth, and AI-supported workflows
- Outputs and Outcomes: workforce sustainability, patient safety, improved access, and cost effectiveness
Together, these components create a continuous cycle of improvement that allows health systems to adapt to evolving population health needs. Healthcare systems around the world are facing unprecedented challenges, including aging populations, increasing rates of chronic disease, workforce burnout, and uneven distribution of healthcare workers. At the same time, advances in digital health, telemedicine, and data analytics are creating new opportunities to expand access to care and improve efficiency.
"The future of safe staffing depends on embracing innovation while protecting the integrity and well-being of the healthcare workforce," said Sylvain Trepanier, DNP, RN, CENP, FAONL, FAAN, Chief Nurse Executive at Providence and Chair of the Taskforce on Safe Staffing through New Models of Care. "This report demonstrates how health systems can move beyond traditional staffing models toward collaborative, technology-enabled care teams that empower nurses and other health professionals while improving patient outcomes."
The report includes global case studies highlighting successful models of care from multiple countries, demonstrating measurable improvements in patient outcomes, workforce retention, and health system efficiency. It is intended to serve as a strategic resource for health system leaders, ministries of health, regulators, academic institutions, and global workforce policymakers.
Download and read the report.
About TruMerit
TruMerit is a worldwide leader in healthcare workforce development with nearly 50 years of experience supporting the mobility of nurses and other healthcare workers. Formerly CGFNS International, TruMerit validates the education, training, and professional experience of internationally educated health professionals seeking authorization to practice in the United States and other countries. Through its expanded mission and the Global Health Workforce Development Institute, TruMerit advances research, standards, and certifications that strengthen the global health workforce and promote equitable, sustainable career mobility.
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LEA SIMS
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TruMerit
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SOURCE: TruMerit