Monday News Drop: Education Reform, Pharmacy Savings & The Future of Healthcare Workforce

This week on The ASHHRA Podcast, co-hosts Bo Brabo, Luke Carignan, and Jeremy Sadlier tackle three headlines shaking up healthcare HR and workforce strategy: education pipelines, rising benefit costs, and how leadership can get ahead of both.

💡 Inside This Episode:

1️. Healthcare Education Reimagined
With healthcare staffing shortages projected into 2030, the hosts explore how health systems can take education into their own hands. From virtual nursing programs to in-house training pipelines, they discuss how partnering with or even building academic programs could close the supply gap faster than traditional higher education—and at a fraction of the cost.

2️. ADN vs. BSN — Rethinking Requirements
Are degree requirements unintentionally shrinking your candidate pool? Bo, Luke, and Jeremy debate whether strict BSN-only hiring policies are limiting access to great talent and driving future nurses toward long-term-care roles instead of hospitals. The conversation challenges institutions to create flexible career pathways, such as “hire-now, finish-later” BSN partnerships.

3️. Travel Nursing Declines and Telehealth Explodes
Travel nursing demand is expected to drop another 20% in 2025, while locum tenens, nurse practitioners, and telehealth roles continue to surge. The team explores what this shift means for workforce planning, retention, and the evolving role of HR in recruiting advanced practitioners.

4️. Rising Health Insurance Costs — and How to Fight Back
Employer-sponsored premiums climbed 5% this year, averaging $27,000 per family. Bo walks through practical ways to offset these increases, including pharmacy optimization, transparent contract review, and strengthening the partnership between HR and pharmacy leaders. Luke even floats a bold retention idea: What if organizations covered 100% of employee premiums?

5️. A Round of Applause for Healthcare Culture Champions
The hosts celebrate the newest Most Loved Workplaces list, highlighting top health systems like Parkview Health, Nicholas Children’s, and UCLA Health for setting the bar on employee experience.

🌟 Why Listen:
This episode blends insight, humor, and actionable ideas for every healthcare HR leader navigating workforce shortages, benefit inflation, and culture transformation.

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