WALTHAM, Mass. — Chief nursing officers across the United States are increasingly measuring the success of healthcare delivery models by patient outcomes, nurse competency, and workforce stability, according to a new report released by Wolters Kluwer Health.
The 2026 edition of Lippincott’s FutureCare Nursing report found that 87 percent of surveyed nursing leaders cited both patient outcomes and nurse competency as top indicators of success, while 83 percent pointed to recruitment and retention as key benchmarks. Nearly nine in 10 respondents said current care models are already delivering positive results.
“As hospitals and health systems move beyond experimentation with nursing care models, nurse leaders are increasingly focused on how those models are measured, sustained, and scaled,” said Bethany Robertson, DNP, CNM, FNAP, FAAN, Clinical Executive at Wolters Kluwer Health. “Under the current backdrop of healthcare in the U.S., where chronic staffing shortages, funding cuts and payment uncertainty are top of mind, showcasing outcomes that support patients and the nurses who care for them is critical.”
The report highlights a shift away from pilot programs toward more established care delivery approaches, with healthcare organizations prioritizing scalability and long-term effectiveness. Models such as multidisciplinary care, telehealth, and team-based care have gained the most traction, while some previously anticipated initiatives have progressed more slowly than expected.
Nursing leaders are now focusing on measurable improvements tied to these models. Survey respondents reported positive impacts across several areas, including interdisciplinary collaboration (83 percent), operational efficiency (82 percent), organizational culture (82 percent), and workflow streamlining (81 percent). Improvements in nurse burnout and well-being were also noted by 75 percent of respondents.
“As nurse executives, we’re responsible for choosing care models that hold up under real-world pressure,” said Betty Jo Rocchio, DNP, RN, CRNA, CENP, EBP-C, Executive Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive at Advocate Health. “Today’s decisions are driven by measurable improvements in clinical quality, workforce resilience and nurse capability over time.”
The findings also underscore how care models are shaping hiring strategies. Nearly 90 percent of nursing leaders said they plan to leverage care models to attract talent, with a growing emphasis on roles that extend care beyond traditional hospital settings.
Telehealth nurses were identified as the most in-demand role for 2026, cited by 68 percent of respondents, followed by virtual nurses (52 percent), internal float pool nurses (44 percent), and home health nurse coordinators (40 percent).
The survey, conducted by Regina Corso Consulting, gathered responses from 150 senior nursing leaders at hospitals and health systems nationwide, offering insight into how organizations are adapting care delivery amid ongoing workforce and financial pressures.
