Alexandria, Va. — October 6, 2025 — HealthFORCE, a national alliance of leaders dedicated to addressing the root causes of America’s healthcare workforce crisis, along with the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) and West Health, today released “Aging Well with AI: Empowering Care through Innovation,” the first in a two-part white paper series exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can strengthen the U.S. healthcare workforce and improve access to care. The paper was commissioned by the three organizations and authored by The LINUS Group, a healthcare strategy and research firm.
As the nation confronts a historic shortage of healthcare workers alongside a rapidly aging population, the report outlines specific ways AI can reduce strain on clinicians and improve outcomes for older adults, without eroding the human relationships that are essential to high‑quality medicine.
“By 2034, older adults will outnumber children in the U.S. for the first time in history,” said Lisa M. Gables, CEO of AAPA and founder of HealthFORCE. “This shift, combined with record-high workforce shortages, demands immediate innovation. This report shows how AI can be part of the solution, giving clinicians back time to focus on what matters most – their patients.”
Five Use Cases Identified in the Report
The paper highlights five opportunities for AI to extend the healthcare workforce and improve care for older adults:
“Our healthcare system deserves more than a model that’s constantly playing catch-up,” said Zia Agha , MD, Chief Medical Officer of West Health. “AI can help us get ahead by navigating growing complexity, coordinating care more seamlessly, and extending clinicians’ capacity to deliver the continuous, compassionate, and affordable care all seniors deserve. But without bold policy changes to modernize care delivery and payment models, we risk leaving these innovations on the shelf instead of putting them to work where they’re needed most.”
The white paper calls on policymakers, health systems, and innovators to:
This is the first paper in a two‑part series aimed at examining how artificial intelligence can strengthen the U.S. healthcare workforce. The upcoming second report will focus on how AI can augment care delivery across all patient populations and help address the projected shortfall of 3.2 million healthcare workers by 2026. It is set to be released later this month.
“AI is not a silver bullet, but it is a powerful tool,” added Gables. “Used wisely, it can protect access to care and improve outcomes for those who need it most, beginning with older adults.”
Download report here: Aging Well with AI_Empowering Care through Innovation_West Health_HealthFORCE_AAPA_10032025