Top Operational Priorities for Orthopedic Practices in 2026: Staffing Efficiency, Scheduling, and Up

Medical groups continue to face mounting operational pressures heading into 2026 from chronic staffing shortages and increased patient demand to administrative workloads that strain already limited resources. To understand where leaders see the clearest opportunities to improve efficiency and financial performance, Yosi Health conducted a survey of medical practices in 2025.

The findings point to three core operational priorities that practices believe will have the greatest impact in the year ahead.

Survey Highlights: Where Practices Are Focusing Their Efforts

The survey captured a clear picture of the priorities that matter most to medical groups today:

• 60% of respondents cited improving staffing efficiency as their top operational priority.
• 30% are focused on increasing upfront collections and achieving cleaner insurance verification.
• 36% listed simplifying scheduling for patients as a key improvement opportunity.

These themes point to a shared need for fewer manual steps, more predictable workflows, and less administrative strain on staff.

Priority 1: Improving Staffing Efficiency

Staffing efficiency emerged as the #1 priority, with 60% of practices stating it is their most urgent operational focus for 2026.

Across specialties and organization sizes, practices reported the same core challenges:

Administrative Burden

Front-office teams spend significant time collecting forms, tracking down missing or incomplete patient information, verifying insurance details, and managing a constant stream of scheduling requests.

Front-Desk Overload

High call volumes, walk-ins, paperwork processing, and check-in bottlenecks often overwhelm even experienced staff members.

Staff Burnout

Constant multitasking, repetitive manual workflows, and pressure to maintain patient flow contribute to turnover — further straining operations.

Inefficient Workflows

Disconnected systems and paper-based processes slow down check-in, eligibility verification, and clinical throughput, limiting the number of patients practices can responsibly serve.

As a result, many medical groups are looking for digital tools that automate repetitive tasks, reduce manual data entry, and allow staff to focus on higher-value patient interactions.

This is why staffing efficiency remains the top priority heading into 2026. It is the area where practices believe they can reclaim the most time and reduce the most operational friction.

Priority 2: Simplifying Scheduling for Patients

The second priority identified in the survey is improving scheduling, with 36% of medical groups emphasizing the need for more efficient, patient-friendly systems.

Today’s patients expect convenience — but practices often struggle with:

Multiple Scheduling Requests

Teams manage a mix of online requests, phone calls, and portal messages, creating fragmented workflows that slow scheduling responsiveness.

High Phone Volume

With 60% or more patients still relying on phone calls to book appointments, staff experience daily call surges that disrupt check-in, insurance work, and clinical coordination.

No-Shows

Confusion around appointment details, lack of reminders, or difficulty requesting changes often results in missed appointments — a persistent financial and operational drain.

Patient Confusion

Long hold times, unclear scheduling instructions, and inconsistent communication across channels lead to frustration and delays.

These challenges explain why practices are looking for simpler, more reliable scheduling workflows that reduce back-and-forth and keep patient flow moving.

Simplifying scheduling is no longer a convenience upgrade — it has become foundational to managing patient flow, reducing avoidable calls, and stabilizing daily operations.

Priority 3: Upfront Collections & Cleaner Eligibility

The third major priority for practices in 2026 centers on financial operations, with 30% of surveyed groups emphasizing the need for stronger upfront collections and more accurate insurance verification.

Key challenges driving this focus include:

Growing Patient Responsibility

High-deductible health plans mean patients are responsible for a larger share of costs — making upfront transparency and payment collection more critical.

Eligibility-Related Denials

Manual insurance checks and outdated payer data frequently lead to eligibility errors, resulting in denied claims, delayed payments, and unnecessary rework.

Missed Revenue at Check-In

Rushed front-desk workflows often lead to uncollected copays, incomplete billing information, and lack of pre-arrival financial engagement.

With margins tightening across healthcare, practices view cleaner eligibility and stronger upfront collections as essential to reducing denials, improving accuracy, and creating more predictable revenue in 2026.

What These Themes Mean for 2026

As medical groups prepare for 2026, the priorities revealed in this survey point to a common goal: creating operations that run with fewer bottlenecks, clearer workflows, and more predictable financial performance. The practices making the most progress are the ones addressing these foundational issues first – improving staffing efficiency, simplifying scheduling, and tightening their front-end financial processes

To see how other practices are addressing these same challenges with measurable results, explore our case studies.