Hospital and health system CEOs are leading organizations through growth and adaptation to meet the demands of an evolving healthcare landscape. Amid these efforts, 13 healthcare executives shared their thoughts on healthcare strategy with Becker's, addressing topics ranging from financial challenges to partnerships with community organizations and other healthcare institutions. 

Ketul Patel, CEO of Tacoma, Wash.-based Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, is driving improvements in community health through expanded care, strategic partnerships and a focus on workplace culture.

John Warner, MD, has served as CEO of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and an executive vice president at Ohio State since 2023.

As patient acuity and hospital capacity issues rise, specialized facilities like long-term acute care (LTAC) hospitals with a unique set of highly-trained interdisciplinary care teams are playing a crucial role in delivering better clinical and quality health services for critically, chronically ill patients with the most complex medical conditions. By understanding the distinct capabilities of LTACH hospitals, payers have the potential to improve patient outcomes and lower costs.

Employee experience and patient experience and outcomes are closely interrelated. However, many hospitals and health systems are still struggling to implement the right strategies and methodologies to elicit feedback about employee experiences and improve employee engagement, which can serve as levers for improving patient experience and outcomes.

As the lead counsel for the healthcare provider plaintiffs in the Blue Cross Blue Shield antitrust litigation, we’ve been hearing from hospitals, healthcare facilities, and medical professionals who want to know whether to participate in the recent settlement. The landmark settlement includes $2.8 billion in monetary relief and substantial changes to the BlueCard program and the Blues’ operations, increasing efficiency and accountability.

Collaborating with a managed services organization (MSO) is a common approach for companies that may lack the internal resources to support certain business needs. While managed services models are popular across industries, making them effective in healthcare requires special attention.

In a panel at Becker's 12th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, Jim Gilligan, vice president of health system partnerships at the American Medical Association, facilitated a discussion on creating joy in medicine within rural integrated health systems. The session featured perspectives from Heather Spies, MD, physician director of clinician experience and well-being at Sanford Health (Sioux Falls, S.D.), and Makrina Shanbour, MD, director of provider experience at Confluence Health (Wenatchee, Wash.).

In a session at Becker's 12th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, Nick Barcellona, chief financial officer, and Dr. Kristy Ward, director of the division of gynecologic oncology at West Virginia University Health System (WVU) in Morgantown, W. Va. discussed advancements in equitable surgical care, with a particular focus on the implementation and benefits of robotic surgery.

Before merging with Michigan Medicine, Lansing-based Sparrow Health System underwent a rapid transformation project at an unknowingly critical time.

Moving into 2025, Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health is focusing on deploying growth and integration strategies to tackle financial challenges, as well as on boosting workforce connections, Mark Sevco, senior vice president and COO, told Becker's.

By integrating legacy data into innovative systems and strategies, hospitals can not only improve patient outcomes, but also create more efficient, responsive and satisfying healthcare experiences.

In an interactive session at Becker's 12th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, Jay Sage, Chief Growth Officer at Trio Workforce Solutions, facilitated a discussion with leaders from Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health on leveraging technology to manage labor in the physician enterprise. 

Declines in Medicare reimbursement present a significant challenge to physicians. When adjusted for inflation, Medicare physician payment rates have decreased by 26% from 2001 to 2023, according to the American Medical Association.

The primary care model is facing an access crisis, struggling to meet the rising demand for care. An emerging physician archetype offers a solution: the Virtualist.

Qventus, the leading provider of AI-based software that automates care operations, today announced it has taken home Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Customer Value Leadership Award in the North American Patient Flow Management Industry. This award underscores Qventus’ commitment to providing best-in-class solutions that generate an average of over 10x ROI for its hospital and health system clients while cementing its leading position in automating care operations across clinical settings to drive ROI.

In an interactive session at Becker's 12th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, Jeff Terry, executive vice president of strategy and innovation at US Anesthesia Partners (USAP), led a panel discussion on the complexities and challenges in the field of anesthesia, particularly its impact on hospital growth and operations.

Health systems implement diverse strategies to uncover opportunities for growth. At New York City-based NewYork-Presbyterian, which operates over 4,000 beds across its network of hospitals, these strategies can span a variety of areas, such as ambulatory care, workforce development and digital transformation.

2024:  A Year of Significant Growth for OIA In 2024, Outpatient Imaging Affiliates (OIA) solidified its reputation as the leader in joint ventured outpatient imaging services by achieving significant milestones across the country. 

Health systems aim to standardize their operations to ensure quality and efficiency. While standardization is effective in areas like accounting, a one-size-fits-all approach can create operational roadblocks in hospitals.