Hospital leaders understand that every decision about oncology staffing reflects broader trends shaping patient access, workforce stability, and care quality.
As cancer programs adapt to an evolving provider landscape, health systems that plan ahead can build stronger teams and more resilient programs.
From accelerating retirements and a shifting oncologist job outlook to the rise of AI and hybrid staffing models, forward-thinking organizations are already taking steps to anticipate future needs, prevent burnout, and ensure consistent, high-quality patient care.
These five oncology staffing trends show how leading cancer centers are positioning themselves for 2026 by protecting continuity, sustaining revenue, and maintaining access for every patient who depends on them.
Trend 1. AI-Driven Planning Is Reshaping Oncology Workforce Strategy
Predictive tools are essential. Cancer programs across the country are adopting AI-driven scheduling and forecasting models to plan for patient volume surges and retirement waves, and to develop care models. Although oncology-specific data is limited, the global healthcare staffing market was valued at roughly $36.9 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach about $62.8 billion by 2030, reflecting growing investment in workforce innovation and analytics across healthcare.
Some systems are even using digital twin technology to simulate staffing needs across service lines. In oncology, this allows leaders to explore how shifts in treatment protocols, patient acuity, or referral patterns might affect provider demand six, 12, or 18 months ahead.
Industry reports indicate that more than half of hospitals plan to use predictive analytics for staffing decisions by 2026. That said, these models work best when paired with responsive staffing support.
Cancer CarePoint partners with oncology programs to turn data insights into action, offering locum tenens and full-time oncology physicians and advanced practice providers who can be deployed when and where they’re needed most.
Trend 2: Succession Planning Is Vital as Oncology Clinicians Age
Nearly one in four practicing oncologists (approximately 23%) are age 64 or older, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), with many expected to retire within the next few years. This shift is a key factor shaping the oncologist job outlook, as demand continues to outpace the number of new physicians entering the field.
Without a succession plan in place, programs risk losing physicians and experiencing coverage gaps. Advance planning helps preserve institutional knowledge, maintain patient continuity, and protect accreditation standards. Long-term absences can lead to treatment delays, staff burnout, and in some cases, lost revenue tied to unmet performance benchmarks.
Accreditation agencies such as the Commission on Cancer (CoC) and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) assess staffing continuity and credentialing as part of their quality metrics.
Cancer CarePoint helps facilities prepare before gaps emerge. Our hybrid model blends proactive locum tenens coverage with direct-hire recruiting to ensure transitions, whether planned or unexpected, do not interrupt care. From medical oncology to radiation therapy, we build long-range staffing pipelines tailored to your tumor-site volumes and retirement forecasts.
Trend 3: Oncology APPs Are Critical to Expanding Capacity and Reducing Burnout
Oncology APPs, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants, are increasingly playing a central role in oncology care. From survivorship and routine monitoring to symptom management and patient education, these clinicians help extend physician capacity and support patient continuity.
Research shows that oncology practices are relying on APPs to manage routine follow-up visits and ongoing patient care, enabling oncologists to focus on complex cases. One national survey found that 66% of practices participating in value-based care models employ APPs to support case management and survivorship planning.
Other studies confirm that APP involvement helps improve patient access and satisfaction while reducing physician workload, reinforcing their importance in sustaining care continuity.
Cancer CarePoint actively recruits oncology-trained APPs and supports credentialing and onboarding systems that promote team-based care. Our placements help relieve pressure on physicians while sustaining clinical excellence and consistency.
Trend 4: Hybrid Staffing Models Are Now the Standard
Oncology programs are finding that a single staffing approach no longer meets today’s complex patient and workforce demands. Increasingly, organizations are adopting multi-layered staffing methodologies that combine full-time employees, locum tenens clinicians, and coverage teams to maintain flexibility, control costs, and ensure uninterrupted care delivery.
This approach is especially valuable for smaller programs or rural facilities that face challenges recruiting subspecialists such as pediatric hematologists or gynecologic oncologists. Integrated staffing allows them to sustain exceptional care while protecting access and preventing staff fatigue.
Cancer CarePoint partners with oncology programs to build custom hybrid staffing models that reflect tumor-site volumes, regional market dynamics, and subspecialty gaps. Whether you need short-term locum coverage or a strategic float team, we deliver the specialized oncology talent to match.
Trend 5: Teleoncology and Cross-System Staffing Are Expanding Fast
Virtual oncology services are now an integral part of comprehensive cancer care. From rural chemotherapy consults to follow-ups for immunotherapy patients, teleoncology visits surged during the pandemic, rising from fewer than 1% of encounters before 2020 to about 11% in 2020, and have since stabilized as programs continue to integrate virtual care into their delivery models.
At the same time, large health systems are increasingly using cross-site float pools credentialed to rotate across multiple hospitals. While this approach helps balance staffing and patient access, it also introduces new credentialing and compliance complexities.
Cancer CarePoint supports both in-person and virtual oncology staffing. Our concierge credentialing team handles multi-state licensure, remote privileging, and system-level documentation with precision and care. Whether your facility is expanding telehealth offerings or requires cross-site staffing agility, we help ensure uninterrupted access to specialized oncology expertise.
The Key to Oncology Staffing Readiness in 2026
The oncology workforce is evolving rapidly, and success in 2026 will depend on how effectively today’s leaders respond to these emerging oncology trends. With an aging provider base, a tightening oncologist job outlook, and growing demand for flexibility, cancer centers must explore innovative hybrid staffing models that balance long-term planning with immediate coverage.
At Cancer CarePoint, we help hospitals, cancer centers, and health systems future-proof their oncology workforce through a combination of locum tenens coverage, direct-hire recruiting, and data-driven forecasting. Whether you need to stabilize a retiring team, expand capacity, or strengthen succession planning, we’ll help you build a staffing strategy that keeps care uninterrupted—today and in the years ahead.
Let’s build your 2026 staffing strategy together. Contact Cancer CarePoint today to start the conversation.