Health systems have traditionally promoted leaders with strong core competencies and deep expertise in specific areas. The best clinician, the smartest technologist, and the most proficient numbers analyst would rise to the top of their respective departments.
However, these leaders tended to be focused, risk-averse, and process-oriented — an approach that no longer guarantees success, according to several hospital and health system C-suite leaders who spoke with Becker's. Today, leaders need a broader skill set, combining agility in technology, business strategy, and change management to effectively navigate the evolving landscape.
"As automation becomes more prominent in healthcare finance operations, roles that involve managing manual or paper-based processes will diminish in importance, making room for those skilled in automation and AI," said Bill Pack, CFO of Conway (Ark.) Regional Health System. "Compliance is critical, but many aspects of regulatory compliance are becoming automated or incorporated into broader financial roles. Specialized roles may shrink as technology manages reporting, leaving more focus on strategy."
This evolution is not limited to financial operations. Cost-containment experts may also see their roles diminish in relevance, Mr. Pack noted. While their expertise remains valuable, health systems are increasingly prioritizing leaders with backgrounds in strategic investments in technology, staffing, and partnerships to drive efficiency and revenue growth.
Clinical leaders without additional areas of expertise may similarly find their influence waning as hospitals face tighter margins and commit to more value-based care models. Ebrahim Barkoudah, MD, system chief and regional chief medical officer of Baystate Health in Springfield, Mass., emphasized that this shift is not a devaluation of clinical experience, but a reflection of the increasing complexity of healthcare.
"While clinical expertise will always be essential, we will increasingly seek leaders who combine clinical knowledge with business acumen, technological literacy, and strategic thinking," Dr. Barkoudah said. "The complexity of modern healthcare requires leaders who can bridge the gap between clinical practice and organizational management."
The days of siloed clinical department heads may be numbered as well. Hospitals are now elevating leaders who take a multidisciplinary approach to patient care over those who are narrowly focused on their own areas.
"We will likely move away from strictly siloed clinical departments towards more collaborative leadership structures that facilitate cross-specialty cooperation and holistic patient management," Dr. Barkoudah added.
Cindy Bo, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at Boston Medical Center Health System, echoed these sentiments. She noted that health system imperatives are changing, and so too are the skills required of leadership teams. Health equity, community health, and technology have emerged as top priorities, alongside transparency, accountability, and the ability to gain the community’s trust — qualities that are valued more than other leadership styles.
"Leaders now need to be diverse and inclusive, technically savvy, agile, and adaptive," Ms. Bo said. "Cross-functional collaboration is a must to get work done and drive the results and impact we desire. Traditional siloed roles will become obsolete if leaders in these positions do not evolve with what is needed to perform. It's an opportunity for leaders to re-tool, re-skill, and partner with others, driving a true leadership team approach."
Danielle Scheurer, MD, chief quality officer at MUSC Health in Charleston, S.C., has observed a similar shift. As the demands on healthcare operations change, the required skill sets of leadership teams are evolving as well.
"As chief quality officer, my team will need more skills in data intelligence and AI. More traditional abstracting and auditing roles will become less important, less time-intensive, or altogether obsolete," Dr. Scheurer said.
The University of Kentucky in Lexington is already moving in this direction, aiming to create more "systemness" by standardizing care across appropriate settings without increasing costs.
"The focus on RVU productivity will continue to transition — not necessarily becoming less important but rather shifting — as productivity will become one compartment of a broader performance measure that increasingly includes value-based care and quality," said Jay S. Grider, DO, PhD, chief physician executive at UK HealthCare.
Veronicka Sales, chief of population health and performance services at Legacy Community Health in Houston, also sees a shift toward leaders who are proficient in digital and data analytics, change management, and cross-functional collaboration, all crucial for positioning health systems at the forefront of industry trends.
"Roles that operate in silos or focus on transactional processes will gradually fade in relevance as value-based, integrated care becomes the standard," she said. "This strategic evolution will ensure my team remains adaptable, patient-focused, and effective in the future healthcare environment."
Technology is driving much of this transformation, enabling healthcare operations to function more efficiently and identify trends at a higher level than ever before. Mark D. Townsend, MD, chief clinical innovation officer at Bon Secours Mercy Health in Cincinnati, believes that generative AI is already blurring the lines between traditional roles within healthcare teams.
"We used to talk about 'staying in your lane.' The democratization of expertise through generative AI allows us to say: 'I am a fish, and swim lanes don’t exist in the ocean; when a fish hits a wall, it says ‘dam’ and then swims in a different direction,'" Dr. Townsend said. "Roles that rely on narrowly defined specialization will arguably become less important. Generalization empowered by openly shared expertise will increasingly become the norm."
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