Across healthcare systems, physician shortages are forcing leaders to rethink how they build and sustain their care teams. During this year's Annual Leadership Conference hosted by the American Association for Physician Leadership (AAPL), Medicus facilitated a targeted discussion with two respected chief medical officers on optimizing clinical workforces.
Dr. O'Neil Pyke, Chief Medical Officer of Jackson Health System, and Dr. Mark Gendreau, Senior Vice President, Market Chief Medical Officer of Beth Israel Lahey Health, shared actionable strategies they are using to confront physician shortages head-on. Their insights revealed three key strategies for healthcare leaders seeking to navigate staffing challenges and reach clinical workforce stabilization.
Physician shortages are impacting every part of the care continuum, from academic medical centers to community hospitals and rural systems. Demand continues to rise, and with a significant portion of the workforce nearing retirement, the United States could face a shortfall of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036.
At Beth Israel Lahey Health and Jackson Health System, both executives are rethinking how they leverage advanced practice providers (APPs) to meet demand and maintain access to care. Rather than relying solely on physician-centered staffing models, they are adapting team structures to reflect a more balanced, collaborative approach.
During the session, Dr. Mark Gendreau and Dr. O’Neil Pyke outlined how their organizations are leveraging APPs more strategically to meet patient demand, including:
A growing reliance on APPs is a practical response to ongoing physician shortages. As Dr. Gendreau noted, expanding APPs' role is not just about innovation, but about necessity. Health systems are adapting how they utilize every member of the care team to ensure access, continuity, and stability in healthcare operations.
While fair and transparent compensation remains important, Dr. Mark Gendreau and Dr. O’Neil Pyke emphasized that organizational culture plays an even greater role in clinician engagement and long-term retention.
Throughout the session, each executive stressed that addressing burnout, improving work-life balance, and building authentic, supportive leadership structures are critical to sustaining clinical teams.
Dr. Gendreau described initiatives underway at Beth Israel Lahey Health to alleviate administrative burdens, such as streamlining documentation processes and rethinking call schedules to improve physician well-being. At Jackson Health, Dr. Pyke linked culture directly to retention, highlighting that clinicians are more likely to stay when they feel supported in meaningful ways. He pointed out that culture is not shaped by messaging alone, but through action.
Steps both executives are taking to strengthen culture and improve retention include:
Dr. Gendreau offered a simple mantra for healthcare leaders to keep front of mind: “Retention, Development, Recruitment.” For both executives, culture is a central factor in building and retaining a stable clinical workforce.
As provider shortages grow, healthcare leaders are turning to practical innovation to support more effective care delivery. Dr. Pyke and Dr. Gendreau shared examples from their health systems, including efforts to expand specialty access through telehealth, improve patient engagement with virtual outreach, and explore how artificial intelligence might eventually reduce administrative burdens and support provider well-being.
Steps both executives are taking to improve care delivery through innovation include:
Dr. Pyke described innovation as most effective when it is practical, scalable, and tied to supporting care teams. For both he and Dr. Gendreau, even small, targeted changes can improve access, reduce strain, and help stabilize the clinical workforce.
Throughout the session, Dr. Gendreau and Dr. Pyke shared how leveraging APPs, investing in culture, and applying practical innovation can all affect workforce optimization. Together, their insights highlighted strategies that can support long-term stability, improve access, and reduce strain on clinicians.
As physician shortages continue to evolve, these takeaways offer a starting point for health system leaders working to evolve how they support and sustain those on the front lines of care.
Interested in leveraging the Medicus Transition Program to optimize your workforce? Complete the short form below to connect with a member of the Medicus team.