More doctors and nurses are treating a larger number of patients than they were a year ago, yet a smaller share of them are thinking about leaving their jobs, according to a new global survey by Elsevier, a health information company. The report, called Clinician of the Future 2026, surveyed 2,757 doctors and nurses from 118 countries between December 2025 and February 2026.

The survey found that 61% of clinicians reported seeing more patients than a year earlier. Despite this, 65% said they still had enough time to provide good care, a figure that has stayed nearly unchanged from 64% in 2025.

There was a gap between doctors and nurses on this question. Only 60% of doctors said they had sufficient time with patients, compared to 71% of nurses. The figure was highest in the Asia Pacific region at 75% and lowest in North America (50%) and Europe (52%).

The survey also found a decline in the number of clinicians thinking about quitting their jobs. This year, 24% of respondents said they were considering leaving their roles in the next two to three years, down from 31% in 2025 and 37% in 2023. North America had the highest share of clinicians thinking of leaving, at 40%, while Asia Pacific had the lowest, at 14%.

Career satisfaction remained high overall, with 78% of clinicians saying they were satisfied or very satisfied with their careers, against 8% who were dissatisfied.

Tiredness still affecting patient care

Tiredness and exhaustion continue to be a concern. The survey found that 39% of clinicians said tiredness had affected their ability to treat patients effectively. This was more common in the Middle East and Africa (52%) and Brazil (58%). Among those who said their work had been affected, 80% reported it happening at least once a week.

When asked why they lacked time for patients, clinicians cited a mix of reasons: high patient volumes (69%), administrative work (65%), a shortage of support staff (58%), and more complex medical cases (53%).

Room for improvement at institutions

The survey also asked clinicians to rate how well their workplaces were supporting them. Institutions scored well on keeping up with healthcare rules (72%) and giving patients a say in their care (58%). But they scored poorly in several areas linked to artificial intelligence, including AI governance (40%), support for tired or stressed staff (37%), and training on how to use AI tools (32%). These scores have barely changed since last year.

Nurses tended to rate their institutions more positively than doctors did. For instance, 61% of nurses said their institutions were very good at attracting and keeping skilled staff, compared to 44% of doctors. On efficiency, 60% of nurses gave a positive rating, against 40% of doctors.

However, many nurses said they did not feel heard within their organisations. The survey found that 41% of nurses believed their views were never or rarely taken into account in decision-making, compared to just 19% of doctors who felt the same way.

Clinicians speak about using AI

Several clinicians shared how new tools, including artificial intelligence, were changing their daily work. A nurse from Indonesia said, “By reducing the time needed to review multiple sources, I was able to spend more time engaging with patients, addressing misconceptions and tailoring education to their cultural and health literacy needs.”

A doctor from China offered a more measured view. “I don’t think artificial intelligence can completely replace human labor, but it can significantly enhance efficiency,” the doctor said.

The report noted that clinicians globally were also somewhat less worried than last year about keeping up with medical advances, with 56% calling it challenging compared to 61% in 2025. Fewer clinicians also said patients were being misled by medical misinformation, down to 51% from 59% the previous year.

According to the World Economic Forum, clinicians spend on average three hours on paperwork a day. In a 2025 study, the use of ambient AI scribes for a month significantly reduced burnout, improved cognitive task load, reduced time spent documenting and helped clinicians focus on patients. 

“The WHO estimates of a global shortfall of 11 million healthcare workers by 2030, and clinicians around the world are continuing to meet rising demand with limited resources,” the report said.

The survey was conducted online and weighted using population data for clinicians by region. Elsevier noted that as an online, self-selected survey, the findings carry some limitations and may not be fully representative of every country’s clinician population.

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