From healthcare access and continued workforce shortages to adapting to new technologies and combating high costs for both patients and providers, healthcare's challenges continue unabated.
Becker's connected with hospital and health system presidents and CEOs to discuss the issues they feel are most prevalent in healthcare right now and the solutions we can use to tackle these challenges and create a stronger environment for care.
Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the healthcare industry right now? How is your organization working to combat this?
David Banks, Chief Strategy Officer, Group President and CEO for Primary Health and Multi-State Divisions for AdventHealth (Altamonte Springs, Fla.):
The industry is facing numerous challenges that make healthcare more challenging for both providers and patients – including affordability challenges, access issues exacerbated by clinical workforce shortages and population changes that are going to drastically shift the payer mix in this country.
This environment requires us to re-evaluate our business models, resources and the general way we do things to ensure we remain viable to help our patients and communities for the long term, not just for the here and now. It's for this reason we've established a new primary health division, expanded service lines, facilitated faster decision making and strengthened our financial resiliency. Our patients and communities are counting on us, and these moves help to ensure we can continue to provide excellent care for generations to come.
Matt Caldwell, President of Bon Secours St. Francis Health System (Greenville, S.C.):
The biggest challenge the healthcare industry is currently facing is finding ways to continue providing high quality, compassionate care to patients while attempting to maintain fair reimbursement rates for the services we provide in our local communities.
Bon Secours continually invests in highly skilled staff and cutting edge technology to make advanced care available locally. We also partner with faith and community-based organizations to bridge care gaps and break down barriers to care. However, to enable us to continue to serve the community and ensure reasonable healthcare costs for every patient, we must continue to work on and improve reimbursement from government payors and insurance companies.
Debbie Feldman, President and CEO of Dayton (Ohio) Children’s Hospital:
There are a myriad of challenges that will impact and shape the American healthcare system in the coming years including lack of access, introduction of new technologies and workforce shortages. However, I believe the most immediate and pressing issue continues to be cost, both for the patient and providers. Healthcare remains one of the top reasons for bankruptcy filings and is one of the top issues of concern voiced by voters.
The tug of war between providers and payers puts a tremendous demand on hospital resources and is a top frustration for patients who are often caught in the middle. Finally, the increasing percentage of government resources dedicated to healthcare at some point will be unsustainable and will result in increased efforts of federal and state regulators to drive down costs. Adding to the challenges for traditional providers, such as hospitals, are disruptors coming into the more profitable aspects of the industry.
J.P. Gallagher, President and CEO, Endeavor Health (Evanston, Ill.):
The biggest challenge is also our greatest opportunity – which is in how we attract, retain, support and grow our team members. Our healthcare workers have persevered through an unprecedented environment in recent years from COVID-19 and the staffing challenges that followed to facing increased instances of aggression, as well as consistently meeting the diverse needs of our communities that rely on healthcare as a necessity and connector to essential resources. While our industry is fortunate to have so many talented, compassionate people who do what they do because of their strong desire to make a difference, it's incumbent on us as their employers to cultivate a culture where everyone feels that they belong and knows that we are behind them in helping them be their best.
At Endeavor Health, we are placing significant focus on listening to team member feedback across various forums, understanding pain points and what is important to them and on building solutions together that will positively impact how we do things as a newly combined health system. We're also very focused on supporting team member wellness through a variety of programs and resources, and on career development with opportunities for staff to pursue a path that and works for where they are in their personal journey – from the pipeline into healthcare, to learning new skills, to exploring a new area or growing into a leadership role. While we might not be able to do everything that we’d love to do, or do it as quickly as we’d like to, we do know that our healthcare systems thrive when our team members thrive, and we strive to be a workplace of choice.
Brian Gwyn, President of Mercy Health – Cincinnati:
The largest challenge facing healthcare today is recognizing a flawed financial state within healthcare payments. Despite the major financial challenges the industry is facing, hospital systems that are sustaining are leveraging their deep-rooted connections within local communities to elevate the health of the population collectively. Through strategic alliances with community partners, health care institutions are maneuvering to address critical social determinants of health, advocate for preventive care and nurture a culture of well-being.
This unified effort fosters a holistic paradigm in healthcare delivery, placing significant emphasis on not only treating ailments but proactively preventing them through community-centric strategies. Amidst the shifting healthcare landscape that has veered away from patient-centric care, there is a resounding call to revert to prioritizing individual needs and preferences.
As healthcare systems evolve, they are not just adapting to change; they are assuming a pivotal role as the linchpin in connecting individuals with essential resources within the community. By organizing initiatives such as facilitating access to food allocation sites and housing resources, health care systems are proactively tackling broader social determinants of health and championing the well-being of the entire population.
Randy Haffner, Group President and CEO for AdventHealth Florida and AdventHealth Clinical:
Many would argue that today’s health system is fragmented and disjointed, and that care delivery mechanisms most often revolve around an organization’s business model, rather than the patient. That needs to change if we expect to see improvements in health outcomes within our communities.
By making healthcare easier to access and simpler to use – with the ultimate goal of helping our patients feel whole – we have the opportunity to not only make the health care experience much better for those we serve, but to also start improving health outcomes as people get the care they need, when they need it. This commitment to our patients is what is driving our significant investments in this space.