High Patient Volume Tops Staffing Shortages as Leading Driver of Burnout in Cancer Centers

New LeanTaaS report finds 65% of cancer centers are expanding services, but leaders say scheduling and capacity management tools outrank more clinical staff as the top requirement for growth

SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- High patient volume is the leading driver of burnout in cancer and infusion centers, outpacing inadequate staffing, according to LeanTaaS' State of Cancer Centers in 2026 report, released today. Based on a national survey of nearly 300 cancer center and infusion center leaders across community health centers, academic health centers, private practices, and non-oncology infusion centers, the findings reveal a shift in how organizations are responding to rising demand: by turning to capacity management, operational technology, and AI-powered solutions to improve access to care while reducing pressure on care teams.

That shift comes as cancer centers prepare for significant expansion. Nearly two-thirds (65%) plan to grow and add new services in 2026. However, more than twice as many respondents identified scheduling and capacity management tools as their most important requirement for growth than those who cited the need for additional clinical staff. Together, the findings suggest cancer centers are increasingly pursuing growth through optimization — serving more patients by making better use of existing capacity rather than simply adding resources.

Key findings from the report:

• 65% of cancer centers plan to expand services or add new programs in 2026, up from 53% in 2025
• 40% identified scheduling and capacity management tools as the most important requirement for growth, compared with 18% citing more clinical staff
• Nearly one-third of cancer centers (29%) list high patient volume as the top contributor to burnout, followed by inadequate staffing at 19%
• 40% said last-minute shift or coverage adjustments consume the most time and contribute to staff stress or burnout
• 92% reported limitations with current data systems or EHRs, creating added friction for operational decision-making
• 44% believe AI and advanced technology would be most helpful in scheduling and capacity management

Taken together, the findings suggest AI and operational technology are emerging less as future-facing innovation projects and more as practical tools for managing capacity, staffing workflows, and patient access.

"What's striking is that cancer centers aren't primarily asking for more resources — they're asking for better ways to manage the resources they already have," said Mohan Giridharadas, founder and CEO of LeanTaaS. "The findings suggest that operational strain is increasingly becoming a workforce issue. As centers find themselves increasingly squeezed on capacity, the burden falls on care teams. Leaders are looking for ways to reduce that friction so centers can maintain access and clinicians can focus on patient care."

The report points to a growing challenge for oncology leaders: how to expand access to care while protecting staff from burnout and maintaining financial sustainability. Operational resiliency and optimization is critical as the American Cancer Society estimates 5,800 new diagnoses daily, adding to the 650,000 to 1,000,000 U.S. patients seen by cancer and infusion centers annually. The report's findings suggest that treating this higher volume of patients may depend less on adding staff or physical resources and more on unlocking capacity already available within existing centers.

The full State of Cancer Centers in 2026 report is available to download here.

About LeanTaaS

LeanTaaS transforms health system, hospital, clinic, and infusion center operations through software and services that combine lean principles, predictive and prescriptive analytics, and machine learning. The company's software and services are being used by 200 health systems in 1,200+ hospitals, centers, and clinics across the nation, which rely on the iQueue cloud-based solutions to increase patient access, decrease wait times, reduce healthcare delivery costs, and improve revenue. LeanTaaS is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA with an office in Charlotte, NC. For more information about LeanTaaS, please visit https://leantaas.com/, and connect on LinkedIn.

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SOURCE LeanTaaS