Insights

Listen to the episode on a streaming platform by clicking one of the links below:

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In this episode of The Strategy Catalyst Dispatch, we explore a commonly cited theme in strategic plans that rarely gets commensurate investment: culture transformation.

Wellstar Health System's Chief Strategy Officer Matt Terry joined us to talk about how his system has positioned culture as a strategic pillar to make it visible, measurable, and fundable alongside other enterprise priorities.

Listen to the episode on a streaming platform by clicking one of the links below:

• Listen on Spotify

• Listen on Apple Podcasts

CFOs and COOs are navigating one of the most turbulent years in recent memory since 2020. From historic Medicaid cuts to escalating battles with payers, health system leaders are bracing for financial, political, and reputational pressures that demand new strategies. In this episode of The Strategy Catalyst Dispatch, we unpack the key themes from The Health Management Academy's 2025 CFO and COO forums:

• The fallout of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and what comes next on site neutrality, 340B, and nonprofit status.

• Why payer relations have become an outright arms race and how AI is reshaping denials management.

• Workforce challenges: rising labor costs, unionization, and the push to build new pipelines.

• Where AI and automation are showing real ROI, from ambient listening to autonomous coding.

In this episode, Robin Brand and Naj Khan discuss the pressing workforce challenges facing health systems, particularly the clinician shortages and rising costs. They explore how technology and AI are being adopted to address these issues, revealing a gap between interest and implementation. The conversation also covers staffing strategies, care model redesigns, and the importance of tailoring solutions to meet the specific needs of different clinical roles and settings.

In this episode of the Health Systems CXO podcast, Brian Contos discusses the current challenges facing health systems, including financial pressures and policy changes. He emphasizes the need for health systems to rethink their growth strategies, focusing on operational scale through AI and site of service optimization.

Entering 2026, established disruptors are evolving their playbook—shifting control upstream through referral pathways, benefit design, drug channels, and capital reallocation. While payviders, private equity, and distributors remain deeply embedded in the healthcare ecosystem, their strategies vary across service lines, creating differentiated risks and decision points for health systems.

In this Strategy Catalyst webinar, health system strategy leaders shared their interpretations of these shifts. Through a series of deliberately provocative claims, the discussion surfaced where leaders see emerging threats, where views diverge, and where service-line strategy may require different choices in 2026. The session examined how disruptor impact varies by service line and introduces practical frameworks to help leaders determine when to partner, compete, acquire—or deliberately stand down.

In this session, we’ll bring together insights from our Fall 2025 VPF + CEO Forums —highlighting what healthcare executives discussed during their in-person gatherings with peers. We’ll also share our perspective on the cross-cutting themes and their implications for industry organizations that partner with leading health systems.

In this session, we’ll bring together insights from our Fall 2025 CSO Forums —highlighting what healthcare executives discussed during their in-person gatherings with peers. We’ll also share our perspective on the cross-cutting themes and their implications for industry organizations that partner with leading health systems.

In this session, we’ll bring together insights from our Fall 2025 CNE Forum —highlighting what healthcare executives discussed during their in-person gatherings with peers. We’ll also share our perspective on the cross-cutting themes and their implications for industry organizations that partner with leading health systems.