What Are Leading Health Systems Prioritizing in 2025?
As policy shifts ripple across the system and economic pressures mount, leading health systems are recalibrating their strategies for sustainable growth. For industry executives hoping to align with these priorities, staying informed on the latest insights before the next shift happens is a challenge—one where understanding what health system leaders are focused on right now, and where the market is headed next, is a key differentiator among industry companies selling to large health systems.
At The Health Management Academy (THMA), our direct engagement with top health systems gives us visibility into these priorities before they hit mainstream reports. What follows is a closer look at what leading health system executives are prioritizing in 2025, based on real-time conversations across our community of healthcare leaders.
What is a Leading Health System?
Leading Health Systems are US health systems at the forefront of healthcare innovation, known for setting the pace on access, quality, and care delivery. These systems are proactively addressing the industry's most complex challenges and are widely regarded as models to watch, pioneering new approaches while shaping the future of healthcare.
Financial Resilience Amid Economic Uncertainty
While some health systems have shown improved margins post-pandemic, most still operate within tight financial constraints. The average margin has stabilized, but wide variability persists across systems. Many top health systems are dealing with rising labor costs, inflation-driven procurement expenses, and a payer mix increasingly reliant on fixed government reimbursement.
To stay financially resilient, leading health system executives are adopting new cost models and scrutinizing return on investment across every service line. This includes optimizing sites of care, reducing unwarranted clinical variation, and forming joint ventures instead of pursuing traditional M&A. In 2025, financial performance will depend on how quickly health systems can adapt to new cost pressures without sacrificing mission.
To learn more about which economic and policy shifts are impacting health systems, download the presentation from our latest healthcare leadership webinar here.
Expanding and Simplifying Patient Access
In 2025, patient access was ranked the number one priority across every C-suite role in our most recent member insights survey. From reducing appointment wait times to offering care beyond traditional hours, leading health systems are redesigning the front door to care.
Disruptive market entrants have raised the bar by offering frictionless scheduling, callback options, and 24/7 access. Health systems know they must compete not just on clinical quality, but on ease, convenience, and experience. For many top health systems, access transformation is a growth and retention imperative.
One of our most popular webinars with industry executives dives deeper into these relevant healthcare topics. THMA’s exclusive “The Top 3 Priorities Health System CXOs Must Execute in 2025” is now available for download.
Integrating AI to Drive System Efficiency and Innovation
Artificial intelligence has rapidly moved from pilot to priority. Executives across the system, from CIOs to CMOs, now view AI as critical for both operational efficiency and care delivery transformation. Early adopters among top health systems are already seeing measurable ROI from AI-powered revenue cycle automation, capacity optimization, and clinical documentation.
Still, many health systems are taking a cautious approach to AI, balancing innovation with governance, EHR integration, and frontline alignment. Healthcare leaders are being intentional about where and how they deploy AI to maximize benefits across the entire health system.
Industry executives seeking year-round access to the latest insights on AI and other key healthcare system topics are turning to THMA industry membership. Membership provides exclusive access to proprietary research, executive convening, and insights reports straight from the nation’s leading health systems.
Rebuilding Around Strategic Partnerships
As healthcare continues to evolve, health systems are shifting away from transactional relationships in favor of long-term, strategic partnerships. Many top health systems are partnering with outside organizations to expand digital care, support rural infrastructure, or improve population health in underserved communities.
Rather than one-off vendor engagements, health system CXOs are seeking trusted collaborators who understand the system’s strategic direction. THMA makes this collaboration possible through its Executive Convening forums—curated events bringing together top health system CXOs and industry executives in one room where transparent discussions and collaboration take place. For any company looking to engage a leading health system, understanding their strategic priorities through peer-level access is essential.
About Executive Convening
Executive Convening is at the heart of how THMA delivers value to industry members. Our exclusive Forums are designed to foster closed-door, peer-level dialogue between C-suite executives from the nation’s leading health systems and a select group of industry leaders, designed for insight exchange, relationship-building, and strategic alignment.
Whether your team is looking to better understand health system priorities or accelerate executive engagement, Executive Convening offers the distinct advantage of bringing the people and perspectives shaping the future of healthcare together.
About The Health Management Academy (THMA)
Since 1998, The Health Management Academy has been the trusted community for executive leaders shaping the future of healthcare. With over 2,000 LHS Executive relationships, 600+ C-suite members from the nation’s most influential hospitals and 200+ industry organizations, THMA delivers the insights, relationships, and strategic resources industry executives need to succeed when partnering with the nation’s largest health systems.
Through proprietary research, executive convening, and year-round intelligence, THMA equips industry leaders to address healthcare’s toughest challenges, from policy volatility to access gaps and labor shortages. Learn more about how THMA supports industry executives year-round to drive meaningful change and apply for consideration to join our exclusive membership while we still have space available.