Nursing CE Central
The per diem nurse staffing market is poised for “significant growth,” according to the latest industry projections.
Persistence Market Research released data in mid-March that concluded the market will reach a valuation of $15.6 billion by 2032. This is partly due to continuing staffing shortages and “fluctuating patient loads.”
The increase, according to the report, also reflects “a robust expansion fueled by evolving healthcare demands and workforce trends.”
Persistence’s projections are several billion dollars higher than a separate forecast released in late 2024.
Per diem staffing is one of several options healthcare companies (and other industries) have to fill last-minute holes in their shifts. It’s slightly different from travel nursing in that the assignments can be for much shorter periods, sometimes even just a single shift rather than a weekslong tenure.
Persistence noted five key reasons for the expected growth:
Researchers also pointed to “the rise of telehealth and remote healthcare services” as a positive for per diem nursing.
“The increasing acceptance of gig economy models in the healthcare sector is likely to further propel market growth, making per diem staffing a key component of the future healthcare workforce,” the report stated.
The United States “dominates” the per diem market, according to Persistence, “due to its advanced healthcare infrastructure, high healthcare expenditure, and persistent nursing shortages.” California, Texas, and Florida are seeing high per-diem nurse staffing demand because of high patient volumes along with the long-term care industry (because of the aging population).
The earlier report from Data Bridge Market Research projected the per diem nurse staffing industry will hit $3.63 billion by 2031. It cited similar reasons for growth, including a shortage of skilled nursing staff, growing healthcare expenditure, regulatory changes, technological advancements, and economic uncertainty.
Some staffing agencies that provide per diem nurse staffing services are also expanding their footprint. At the end of 2024, staffing company Aya Healthcare bought Cross Country Healthcare for $615 million, according to a Fierce Healthcare report.
“Importantly, it will also enhance and expand services and solutions for our clients, provide a wider array of opportunities and efficiencies for our healthcare clinicians and create new opportunities for our employees as part of an industry leader with a complementary footprint and offering,” John Martins, of Cross Country Healthcare, told Fierce Healthcare.
Multiple market reports have projected increases in of billions of dollars for the per diem nurse staffing market. Several factors have led to the popularity of the niche within the healthcare industry. Among them are a renewed focus for nurses on work-life balance, an aging population in the United States, and the ever-present nursing shortage. Coupled with this is the high number of staffing agencies, some of which are acquiring their competitors to increase their services.
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