The ASHHRA Podcast
The ASHHRA Podcast is the definitive audio briefing for healthcare HR leaders navigating what’s next.
Hosted by Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan, this weekly podcast explores the forces reshaping the healthcare workforce, from talent shortages and leadership burnout to data-driven HR strategy, labor relations, and policy shifts that impact care delivery.
Each episode features candid conversations with CHROs, senior executives, and industry change-makers who are solving real problems inside hospitals and health systems right now. No theory, no fluff, just practical insight from leaders in the arena.
Listeners gain clarity on complex workforce challenges, early signals on emerging trends, and grounded perspectives that help bridge strategy and people operations. Whether you lead HR for a health system, support workforce strategy, or influence organizational culture, this podcast equips you to make better decisions with confidence.
New episodes drop weekly, with timely news updates, deep-dive conversations, and forward-looking insights designed for healthcare HR leaders preparing for 2026 and beyond.
The ASHHRA Podcast
#185 - Are We Seeing Trends Yet?
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Monday News Drop: Education Reform, Pharmacy Savings & The Future of Healthcare Workforce
This week on The ASHHRA Podcast, co-hosts Bo Brabo, Luke Carignan, and Jeremy Sadlier tackle three headlines shaking up healthcare HR and workforce strategy: education pipelines, rising benefit costs, and how leadership can get ahead of both.
đź’ˇ Inside This Episode:
1️. Healthcare Education Reimagined
With healthcare staffing shortages projected into 2030, the hosts explore how health systems can take education into their own hands. From virtual nursing programs to in-house training pipelines, they discuss how partnering with or even building academic programs could close the supply gap faster than traditional higher education—and at a fraction of the cost.
2️. ADN vs. BSN — Rethinking Requirements
Are degree requirements unintentionally shrinking your candidate pool? Bo, Luke, and Jeremy debate whether strict BSN-only hiring policies are limiting access to great talent and driving future nurses toward long-term-care roles instead of hospitals. The conversation challenges institutions to create flexible career pathways, such as “hire-now, finish-later” BSN partnerships.
3️. Travel Nursing Declines and Telehealth Explodes
Travel nursing demand is expected to drop another 20% in 2025, while locum tenens, nurse practitioners, and telehealth roles continue to surge. The team explores what this shift means for workforce planning, retention, and the evolving role of HR in recruiting advanced practitioners.
4️. Rising Health Insurance Costs — and How to Fight Back
Employer-sponsored premiums climbed 5% this year, averaging $27,000 per family. Bo walks through practical ways to offset these increases, including pharmacy optimization, transparent contract review, and strengthening the partnership between HR and pharmacy leaders. Luke even floats a bold retention idea: What if organizations covered 100% of employee premiums?
5️. A Round of Applause for Healthcare Culture Champions
The hosts celebrate the newest Most Loved Workplaces list, highlighting top health systems like Parkview Health, Nicholas Children’s, and UCLA Health for setting the bar on employee experience.
🌟 Why Listen:
This episode blends insight, humor, and actionable ideas for every healthcare HR leader navigating workforce shortages, benefit inflation, and culture transformation.
From Our Sponsors...
Optimize Pharmacy Benefits with RxBenefits
Elevate your employee benefits while managing costs. Did you know hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions annually than other industries? Ensure cost-effective, high-quality pharmacy plans by leveraging your hospital’s own pharmacies. Discover smarter strategies with RxBenefits.
Learn More here - https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN
Streamline HR Compliance with oneBADGEhealthcare
Simplify screening, credentialing, and compliance for healthcare HR. oneBADGEhealthcare from ISB Global offers a tailored solution to keep your workforce compliant and efficient. Built for healthcare leaders, it’s your all-in-one compliance tool.
Get Started here - https://isbglobalservices.com/onebadgeunitedstates/ashhra/