Hospitals across the United States are facing a paradox.
At a time when healthcare organizations need strong leadership more than ever amid workforce shortages, financial pressure, regulatory scrutiny, and rising patient expectations executive roles are staying vacant longer than expected.
Positions like Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), Chief Medical Officer (CMO), COO, and other senior leadership roles often remain open for months. Some searches restart entirely. Others end in short-lived placements that don’t last a year.