2026 Healthcare Q1 Staffing Checklist

Here’s a Q1 staffing checklist to help your team start the year strong:

As the new year begins, healthcare facilities must start Q1 with a clear staffing strategy to meet patient demand, optimize budgets, and maintain high-quality care. This checklist provides a practical roadmap to help your team assess current staffing levels, anticipate workforce gaps, and plan proactively for the months ahead. It covers evaluating department coverage, forecasting patient volumes, balancing permanent and flexible staffing models, and refreshing recruitment efforts.

Additionally, it highlights the importance of clinician retention, engagement, and wellness initiatives to reduce burnout, while leveraging technology and predictive tools to streamline scheduling and credentialing. Following this checklist ensures your facility is prepared to navigate staffing challenges efficiently, maintain uninterrupted care, and set the tone for a successful year.

Pro Tip: Partnering with a trusted staffing provider can accelerate your Q1 readiness, fill gaps faster, and ensure you maintain uninterrupted patient care.

Starting the year with this checklist ensures your facility is positioned to handle staffing challenges efficiently, maintain quality care, and reduce last-minute scrambling.