As Demands Increase, Pennsylvania Hospitals Transform Care
December 22, 2025
As workforce shortages and patient demand rises across the U.S., Pennsylvania hospitals are taking new approaches to patient services and significant workforce initiatives, according to a new report by the American Hospital Association (AHA).
While health care workforce challenges are nothing new, the pandemic, an aging population, and burnout have made the situation untenable, the AHA report states.
Here are a few key examples from the report of how Pennsylvania hospitals are leading with solutions:
Protecting caregivers: Main Line Health is taking a comprehensive approach to employee concerns about safety, emotional health, and work-life balance. The system installed weapons detection systems, duress signal badges, and expanded access to family care resources. When possible, the system is exploring flexible scheduling options, such as hybrid arrangements. These considerations have led to improvements in perceived safety, well-being, and paid time-off usage, the AHA report indicates.
New pathways for care: UPMC has added nonclinical support through a new patient and family concierge role designed to relieve pressure on nurses by reducing time spent on indirect patient care. The change has yielded results, with staff reporting having more time for direct care, and higher patient satisfaction from more frequent rounds and fewer call lights, the AHA report shows.
Exploring alternatives: Allegheny Health Network implemented a team-based care model that supports primary care physicians with staff, including nurses, health coaches, behavioral health specialists, and pharmacists. This is a shift from a one-physician, one-medical assistant model. The new system was implemented in stages from 2017–2024 and has shown improvements in depression screening rates, better post-discharge follow-up, and higher quality scores, the report states.
Helping Hand: Looking to address emotional stressors, ChristianaCare started the Care for the Caregiver program to support physicians after adverse events. Established in 2015, the program has expanded to serve 14,000 clinical and nonclinical staff within ChristianaCare. The program works with a tiered model of physiological and confidential peer support. More than 200 peer supporters have been trained as part of the program. The response has been positive, resulting in steady utilization and internal data showing stronger culture-of-safety scores, the report states.
Notable: Statewide, by being proactive, Pennsylvania hospitals have shown a 32 percent decrease in turnover for care teams since 2022, a HAP survey found. They have implemented strategies such as pay increases, tuition reimbursement, professional development, flexible scheduling, bonuses, and childcare.
Read the AHA report online.