In a strained market, CMKOs are driving for patient access and efficiency to make the most of limited resources. Leaders emphasized that high performance in healthcare increasingly depends on collaboration rather than siloed execution. By engaging a site-of-care strategy alongside community education and partnerships with local health facilities, organizations can guide patients to the right care setting at the right time. This not only enhances operational efficiency but also reduces reliance on high-cost AMC facilities for lower-acuity care. In this lane of partnerships, executives noted that consumer engagement must evolve from attracting new patients to optimizing existing relationships and experiences. This supports both value-based care and system efficiency.  Marketing was reframed as a strategic enabler, aligning with operational and financial priorities rather than functioning solely as an acquisition engine.  

Strategy leaders reframed their roles as facilitators who cultivate alignment and influence across marketing, operations, and clinical functions, stretching the traditional mindset of internal impact to a collaborative multi-teams effort. Leaders highlighted how integrating physician input and frontline realities into campaign design can reveal new opportunities for engagement and retention.  

Building on the ever-important margin emphasis, facilitators examined margin figures at a new angle. Beyond a financial indicator, strategy teams framed “industry margin as opportunity” to identify services where competitors are profitable to inform partnership or divestment decisions. In this way, executive teams can build alignment across strategy, marketing, and consumer experience to drive sustainable growth and system-level impact.