01/29/2026
Healthcare on the Horizon: Predictions for U.S. Healthcare
What Will Healthcare Look Like Through 2026?
Provided by The Doctors Company—OSMA's exclusive partner for medical liability insurance.
Richard E. Anderson, MD, FACP, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Doctors Company and TDC Group
Each year, TDC Group has predicted emerging healthcare trends over the next decade, focusing on the challenges, risks, and opportunities that shape the industry. This year, the pace of change in healthcare—driven by regulatory complexity, mounting financial pressures, and artificial intelligence (AI)—makes long-term forecasts increasingly uncertain. In response, this paper highlights the forces most likely to shape U.S. healthcare in the coming year.
Medical professionals continue to uphold their commitment to delivering high-quality patient care, despite navigating a healthcare environment characterized by rapid digital innovation, pervasive misinformation, escalating costs, and persistent fragmentation. Burnout remains a critical concern: The majority of physicians would not recommend a medical career to their children, reflecting the sustained pressures of modern practice.
Hospitals face mounting financial challenges as the convergence of increasing medical malpractice losses and reimbursement difficulties drives ongoing facility closures, exacerbating gaps in patient access. Currently, approximately 11 percent of Americans report being unable to access or afford care—a figure likely to rise as health insurance premiums increase in 2026, intensifying burdens on both patients and clinicians.
Some access gaps are being addressed through the expansion of distributed care models, with advanced practice clinicians (APCs)—including nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs)—working in close collaboration with physicians. These teams rely on well-defined roles and advanced teamwork to optimize care delivery.
The exponential growth of medical knowledge presents a significant challenge for clinicians. AI, with advanced capabilities in information synthesis and pattern recognition, offers the potential to help clinicians manage knowledge overload and streamline administrative tasks such as scheduling, billing, and prior authorization. The field is rapidly evolving from generative AI to agentic AI, introducing new horizons for autonomous technologies. However, rapid AI adoption introduces complex malpractice and liability issues, underscoring the need for clear standards, informed consent, and adaptive legal frameworks.
The guidelines suggested here are not rules, do not constitute legal advice, and do not ensure a successful outcome. The ultimate decision regarding the appropriateness of any treatment must be made by each healthcare provider considering the circumstances of the individual situation and in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which the care is rendered.
Reprinted with permission. ©2026 The Doctors Company (thedoctors.com)