Transforming Healthcare Training: Preparing the Workforce of Tomorrow

Rethinking Healthcare Training for a Changing Workforce

Healthcare organizations are facing an urgent workforce challenge. High turnover, staffing shortages, and lengthy onboarding periods are driving up costs and putting additional strain on already overburdened teams. Traditional training models are not keeping pace with the speed at which hospitals need to hire, train, and retain employees.

Onboarding a new hire, particularly a recent graduate, can take eight to ten weeks before they are fully productive. Losing an employee—like a nurse—can cost anywhere between $45,000 and $55,000 per person when factoring in recruitment, training, and lost productivity. As hospitals work to control costs while maintaining high-quality care, outdated training models are creating additional obstacles. Without a more efficient, targeted approach to onboarding and ongoing education, organizations will struggle to keep up with workforce demands.

Why Traditional Training Falls Short

The healthcare industry has long relied on classroom-based training and static e-learning modules to onboard employees. However, these outdated models have several limitations:

1. Time-consuming – Hospitals cannot afford to wait months for new employees to reach full productivity.
2. Resource-intensive – Many organizations have downsized training departments, leaving fewer personnel to support onboarding.
3. Inefficient – Standardized training forces employees to learn material they may already know, leading to frustration and wasted time.
4. Limited capacity – With fewer trainers and resources available, organizations struggle to provide timely and consistent education for all new hires.

When training resources are stretched thin, it is difficult to support the growing demand for rapid, high-quality onboarding. Many hospitals simply do not have the staff, time, or infrastructure to accommodate lengthy training programs for every new employee. As a result, training is often rushed, inconsistent, or incomplete, leaving employees unprepared and increasing turnover risks.

A more efficient, targeted approach to training is needed—one that reduces onboarding time while ensuring employees are fully prepared for their roles.

A Smarter Approach to Training

Prescriptive learning is a personalized training method that identifies knowledge gaps before employees begin training. Instead of requiring every employee to complete the same generic courses, prescriptive learning uses diagnostic assessments to determine what they already know and delivers only the training they need.

For example:

• A provider transitioning between two Epic hospitals does not need a full week of retraining on a system they already know.
• A revenue cycle specialist with prior experience should not be required to complete foundational training on processes they are already proficient in.
• A radiology technician who has used a different but similar imaging system may only need a short refresher on workflow differences rather than full retraining.

By tailoring training to individual needs, prescriptive learning eliminates unnecessary coursework, accelerates onboarding, and ensures employees can reach full productivity faster.

“Implemented correctly, we can reduce training time by 50%. You can put a dollar amount to that, but more importantly, it’s about retention. If someone feels like they’re in the wrong role or getting unnecessary training, they’re going to get frustrated and leave.”  

-Tom Kreuzberger, Futura Senior Vice President

The Role of IT in Supporting Smarter Training

With healthcare organizations facing staffing shortages and training limitations, IT leaders must play a more active role in implementing scalable solutions. Modern training strategies are not just about efficiency—they are about equipping employees with the right knowledge at the right time, ensuring better patient care and operational stability.

By integrating modern learning solutions, healthcare organizations can reduce reliance on traditional classroom instruction while maintaining high-quality training programs.

Key components of a modern training strategy include:

• E-learning automation – Digital training modules that can be accessed on demand, reducing the need for live instruction.
• Simulation-based training – Interactive, hands-on learning experiences that improve system proficiency.
• Microlearning – Short, focused lessons that align with how today’s workforce prefers to learn.

Without the right training resources in place, IT and support teams often bear the burden, dealing with an increase in troubleshooting requests and employees who are not fully comfortable using critical systems.

Custom Training vs. Generic Modules

While generic training may cover compliance basics, it does not prepare employees for the day-to-day realities of their roles. Standardized courses often overlook hospital-specific workflows, policies, and system configurations—leaving employees underprepared and increasing reliance on IT support teams.

Without training tailored to the specific systems and processes in place, employees may struggle to apply what they have learned, leading to inefficiencies and a longer learning curve. Customized e-learning ensures that training aligns with hospital-specific processes and prepares employees for real-world scenarios.

“The things that make a difference are what's very unique at each institution. Whether it's policy-related or system-specific, those things need to be taught in a way that fits the organization.”  

-Ken Levitan, Healthcare Executive

Hospitals that invest in customized training solutions see improvements in:

1. Training relevance – Employees receive instruction that directly applies to their roles.
2. Efficiency – Training focuses only on what is necessary, reducing wasted time.
3. Engagement – Interactive and customized content improves retention.

The Future of Healthcare Training: Agility and Efficiency

To remain competitive and improve retention, healthcare organizations must transition to a more agile and efficient training model. A blended approach that integrates prescriptive learning, e-learning automation, and real-time skills assessments will define the future of workforce education. Organizations that modernize their training strategies will be able to onboard employees faster, reduce turnover rates, and build a more confident, well-trained workforce.

Healthcare staffing challenges are not going away, but smarter training strategies can help organizations adapt. IT teams and healthcare leaders who rethink how they train, onboard, and support employees will see measurable cost savings, stronger retention, and a more efficient workforce.

To hear more expert insights, listen to our related podcast episode, where industry leaders discuss how healthcare organizations can modernize training, reduce costs, and improve retention.