/ en Fri, 25 Apr 2025 16:13:32 -0500 Tue, 08 Apr 25 06:11:50 -0500 /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2025-04-08-reimagined-ceo-leading-health-care-its-next-era <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/The-Reimagined-CEO-Leading-Health-Care-into-Its-Next-Era.png" data-entity-uuid="479cd75f-fccd-4fbe-abe6-c31d78f9cbb9" data-entity-type="file" alt="The Reimagined CEO: Leading Health Care into Its Next Era. A CEO's head in profile with the brain containing gears connected to outside gears supplying all the data being input into the brain." width="1200" height="646"><p>Health care CEOs are leading in a time unlike any other in recent memory — where complexity is the norm and the expectations are extraordinary. The role, once steeped in operational oversight and incremental improvement, has evolved rapidly into a multifaceted, future-facing leadership challenge. From managing rapid consolidation to engaging political stakeholders, from cultural stewardship to digital transformation, the modern CEO’s mandate is not just to steer the ship — but to redesign the vessel while in motion.</p><p>According to WittKieffer’s 2025 report <a href="https://wittkieffer.com/insights/healthcare-ceo-reimagined" target="_blank" title="WittKeiffer: Healthcare CEO Reimagined: Leading Healthcare’s Next Chapter">“Healthcare CEO Reimagined,”</a> the traditional CEO archetype is being redefined fundamentally. Drawing on extensive interviews with top health system leaders, the report highlights a set of paradigm shifts and leadership tenets for CEOs to consider and offers a road map for navigating health care’s accelerating transformation.</p><h2><span>1</span> <span>|</span> <span>From Visionary to Agile Architect</span></h2><p>Strategic agility now defines effective leadership, according to the report. While a long-term vision remains important, CEOs increasingly are required to flex their strategies in real time — responding to both evolving market conditions and internal dynamics. “We must be willing to act quickly, learn fast and be comfortable with occasional missteps,” said Tom Gessel, CEO of Oregon-based Asante health system, in the report. Leaders are expected to lead transformative initiatives while maintaining operational discipline and rallying stakeholders around a shared sense of purpose.</p><h2><span>2</span> <span>|</span> <span>Scaling Strategically, Not Just Structurally</span></h2><p>Health care consolidation has created vast, complex systems that span geographies and service lines. Yet, as CEOs like Dennis Murphy of IU Health note, growth without focus can lead to inertia. “Goal setting is not just about driving the organization forward; it is about decluttering it from negative inertia,” Murphy said.</p><p>The real challenge lies in balancing scale with agility, according to the WittKieffer report. CEOs must align systemwide advantages — like technology investments and operational efficiencies — with local relevance. “Essentiality” — becoming an indispensable provider in a given community — emerges as a critical goal. Tailored strategies that account for regional needs, consumer preferences and competitive dynamics no longer are optional but are essential for long-term viability, the report concluded.</p><h2><span>3</span> <span>|</span> <span>Culture as a CEO’s Most Enduring Legacy</span></h2><p>Perhaps no responsibility looms larger than cultural leadership, according to the report. “Culture starts with the CEO,” Christopher Howard, CEO of Sharp HealthCare, told WittKieffer. “My most significant impact is dedicating myself to our organization’s culture.”</p><p>Today’s CEOs must navigate cultural tensions — accountability vs. mission, excellence vs. agility, scale vs. identity. These aren’t opposites to resolve but dynamics to balance. As organizations grow, CEOs increasingly are held accountable not just for preserving culture, but also for strengthening and spreading it across their networks, the report states.</p><p>Michael Slubowski, CEO of Trinity Health in Michigan, envisions a culture where “120,000 team members improve the care experience without waiting to be asked or having to be told.” That kind of empowerment requires relentless communication, trust-building and authenticity from the top.</p><h2><span>4</span> <span>|</span> <span>Developing the Next Generation</span></h2><p>Leadership development is no longer a human relations function; it’s a CEO imperative. “Building a strong, competent team is the CEO’s most essential skill,” said Brian Erling, M.D., president and CEO of Renown Health. The WittKieffer report underscored that high-performing leaders build succession pipelines, mentor emerging talent and foster environments that balance challenge with support.</p><p>The report also highlights the need for strategic succession planning and skill set expansion, both of which help leaders bridge the gap between legacy systems and emerging models. The best CEOs create what the report calls “gentle pushes and soft landings,” enabling continuous growth without burnout.</p><p> </p><h2><span>5</span> <span>|</span> <span>Mastering External Engagement</span></h2><p>In an increasingly politicized and interconnected world, external engagement has shifted from a “nice-to-have” to a strategic imperative. WittKieffer suggests that CEOs must build coalitions, not just manage operations. This includes sustained advocacy, community partnerships and brand leadership.</p><p>“Advocacy work now demands priority status as one of the ‘big boulders’ that must come first,” the report notes. CEOs must be visible in their communities, present with policymakers and trusted by stakeholders — internally and externally. Their reputations now are inseparable from that of the institutions they lead.</p><h2><span>6</span> <span>| </span><span>Essential Tenets: What Sets Great CEOs Apart</span></h2><p>WittKieffer distills the most impactful leadership traits into six essential tenets:</p><ul><li><strong>Vision across multiple horizons</strong> — balancing near-term needs with long-term foresight.</li><li><strong>Catalytic decision-making</strong> — making bold decisions amid ambiguity.</li><li><strong>Adaptability and resilience</strong> — maintaining focus while embracing change.</li><li><strong>Self-mastery and a learning mindset</strong> — committing to personal growth and reflection.</li><li><strong>Emotional intelligence</strong> — leading with humility, empathy and listening.</li><li><strong>Galvanizing communication</strong> — inspiring action through clarity and consistency.</li></ul><p>The CEO role never has been more complex or more vital to the future of health care. As leaders confront a world of accelerating change, those who thrive will be the ones who adapt most effectively, lead most authentically and empower their organizations at every level, according to the report.</p><p>In the words of Advocate Health CEO Eugene A. Woods quoted in the report, the goal is to “culturally unleash a fearless curiosity and unshakable optimism” as the antidote to uncertainty.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" width="721" height="130" data-entity- type="file" class="align-center"></a></p><p><a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type alt width="360" height="300"></a></p></div></div></div>.field_featured_image { position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } .featured-image{ position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } h2 { color: #9d2235; } Tue, 08 Apr 2025 06:11:50 -0500 Leadership Development /2025-01-28-how-unlock-your-health-care-teams-potential <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/How-to-Unlock-Your-Health-Care-Teams-Potential.png" data-entity-uuid="7b29ec6d-0b81-4cd0-b283-f97bc0fc7622" data-entity-type="file" alt="How to Unlock Your Health Care Team’s Potential. YouTube video screencap of Laura Stone, author, Team Purpose to Performance, from the video What Are the Three Key Questions Your Team Should Ask to Improve Performance and Impact?" width="100%" height="100%"></p><p>The demands on health care leadership teams have never been greater. Addressing these challenges head-on, Laura J. Stone's latest offering in her three-volume series “A Pocket Guide to Purpose” provides a road map for driving team performance and efficiency.</p><p>With more than 30 years of experience in learning, testing, research and client engagements, Stone introduces the Team Purpose to Performance™ process in Volume 3, a methodology employed by Fortune 500 companies and the ���������� Association. This pressure-tested approach aims to help teams unlock their potential and drive meaningful change.</p><p>Stone highlights several organizations that have implemented the process with notable results. At CVS, it played a key role in the company's decision to eliminate the sale of tobacco products — a move that, while financially impactful, aligned with their broader health mission. Global food giant Danone used the approach to streamline its operations and achieve a "Best in Class" Gartner ranking. IBM leveraged it to simplify its outsourcing division's operations, coining the phrase "HR Easy."</p><h2><span>What are the three key questions your team should ask to improve performance and impact?</span></h2><p>In this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD7JBvXBvW0" target="_blank" title="YouTube: What Are the Three Key Questions Your Team Should Ask to Improve Performance and Impact?">video</a>, Stone shares insights into what makes a highly effective team.</p><p></p><p>Health care organizations can apply these same principles to enhance team alignment, improve communication and build a lasting organizational legacy. According to Stone, this process helps teams:</p><ul><li><strong>Define the highest level of work that only the team can do together.</strong></li><li><strong>Clarify the work that leaders should focus on at the highest strategic level possible.</strong></li><li><strong>Encourage all team members to realize their strengths and become more decisive and effective.</strong></li></ul><p>“Efforts and courage are no substitutes for purpose and direction. ‘Team Purpose to Performance’ is the ideal guide for what it takes to embed both into your culture,” said Paul Polman, former Unilever CEO.</p><p>Stone’s <a href="https://laurastone.com/" target="_blank" title="Laura Stone homepage">website</a> provides additional resources for health care leaders.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" width="721" height="130" data-entity- type="file" class="align-center"></a></p><p><a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type alt width="360" height="300"></a></p></div></div></div>.field_featured_image { position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } .featured-image{ position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } h2 { color: #9d2235; } Tue, 28 Jan 2025 06:00:00 -0600 Leadership Development /center/next-generation-leaders-fellowship/faq Wed, 08 Jan 2025 14:00:00 -0600 Leadership Development /news/perspective/2024-12-13-providing-tools-help-hospital-and-health-system-leaders-shape-our-future <p>Hospital and health system leaders work hard to ensure their organizations can deliver high-quality care, comply with evolving regulations, embrace technological innovation and adapt to a rapidly changing landscape — all at the same time.</p><p>It’s widely acknowledged that accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date data is essential to assist providers with all of their efforts to advance patient care and the health of their communities.</p><p>But we know data alone is not enough. In surveys, many health care leaders have reported feeling "data-rich but insight-poor."</p><p>That’s why some of the most valuable services the AHA provides to members are serving as a convener of thought leadership and knowledge exchange for the field, as well as delivering resources, insights and tools. </p><p>Below are just a few examples of AHA resources — developed with insights, innovations and leading strategies from hospital and health system leaders across the country — that hospital and health systems leaders can use with their teams to tackle today’s challenges while at the same time leading the way to a healthier future.</p><p><a href="/environmentalscan">AHA’s 2025 Environmental Scan</a> provides insights on the latest data and emerging trends, helping leaders assess the current landscape and plan strategically for the future.</p><p><a href="/aha-workforce-scan">AHA’s 2025 Health Care Workforce Scan</a> offers trends, expert insights and bold new approaches to guide workforce strategies and initiatives.</p><p><a href="https://www.shsmd.org/futurescan-2025">FutureScan 2025</a> from AHA’s Society for Health Care Strategy & Market Development is a strategic planning resource that covers topics such as value-based care financing models, strategic planning imperatives, and advances in digital behavioral health and predictive technologies.</p><p><a href="/type/aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan">AHA’s Market Scan</a>, from our Center for Health Innovation, provides regular insights and analysis on the field’s latest developments in health care disruption, transformation and innovation.</p><p><a href="https://trustees.aha.org/">AHA’s Trustee Services</a> provides an array of resources to help foster high-performing hospital and health system boards that can navigate their organizations through the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.</p><p>American health care is blessed with having motivated clinicians, care teams and hospital and health system leaders who strive to push our field forward, knowing that there is always new knowledge to gain, new boundaries to explore and new ways to improve patient care.</p><p>As we work together to tackle the many challenges affecting our health care system and ensure a healthy future for the patients and communities we serve, let’s remember that despite the rapid pace of change today, a few things remain constant.</p><p>Our nation needs us. Hospitals and health systems are a critical part of our country’s infrastructure and are essential to the health and well-being of every American.</p><p>Our communities need us. Hospitals are cornerstones of their communities, so working together with their support, we will be successful in our mission to advance health for all.</p> Fri, 13 Dec 2024 08:39:41 -0600 Leadership Development /education-events/next-generation-leaders-fellowship-virtual-mentor-interest-information-session-feb-20 .TTeventdate{ font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; color: #555555bb; line-height: 20px; } <p class="TTeventdate">Thursday, Feb 20 at 1:00 pm ET (12:00 pm CT, 11:00 am MT, 10:00 am PT)</p><h4>Join this virtual information session and help shape the future of health care! The AHA needs senior executives willing to share time and expertise with the next generation of leaders who will help us achieve the transformation of care. If you are passionate about the future and see the potential that exists for quality improvement, and are willing to coach, guide and support emerging leaders, join this virtual information session with program representatives and learn about becoming a mentor for the AHA Next Generation Leaders Fellowship.</h4><h4>We will cover:</h4><ul><li>Program details and timeline</li><li>Mentor expectations and requirements</li><li>Age-Friendly mentors</li><li>The mentor matching process</li></ul><h4>A former mentor will also be available to answer questions!</h4> Tue, 15 Oct 2024 10:35:08 -0500 Leadership Development /education-events/next-generation-leaders-fellowship-virtual-information-session-feb-19 .TTeventdate{ font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; color: #555555bb; line-height: 20px; } <p class="TTeventdate">Thursday, Feb 19 at 1:00 pm ET (12:00 pm CT, 11:00 am MT, 10:00 am PT)</p><h4>Join this virtual information session and Q&A on February 19, 2025, at 12 p.m. CT. with Admissions Directors, Jen Braun and Kara Schram to get all your fellowship questions answered before the application deadline on March 31, 2025.</h4><h4>We will cover:</h4><ul><li>Program details, including curriculum and networking opportunities, and capstone project information</li><li>Scholarships for Age-Friendly fellows</li><li>Admission criteria and the application process</li></ul><h4>Current fellows and alumni will also be available to answer questions!</h4> Tue, 15 Oct 2024 10:23:43 -0500 Leadership Development /center/next-generation-leaders-fellowship/mentor-interest-form Tue, 01 Oct 2024 11:00:00 -0500 Leadership Development /center/next-generation-leaders-fellowship/application Tue, 01 Oct 2024 01:00:00 -0500 Leadership Development /center/next-generation-leaders-fellowship/program-details Wed, 18 Sep 2024 13:40:00 -0500 Leadership Development /news/perspective/2024-07-19-helping-tomorrows-health-care-leaders-chart-brighter-future <p>Throughout history, a huge driver of human progress has been the story of talented young minds looking at age-old problems and challenges through a fresh new lens.</p><p>In today's world, this is especially true of health care, which continues to rapidly evolve as we strive to deliver superb patient care while keeping pace with changing technologies, developing care models, evolving regulations and financial challenges.</p><p>Fortunately, our field is blessed with many outstanding leaders who are deftly navigating the complex health care environment and guiding their organizations to a bright future.</p><p>Even better news: More leaders are coming up through the ranks. The <a href="/center/next-generation-leaders-fellowship?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=aha-today">AHA Next Generation Leaders Fellowship</a> focuses on developing leaders and empowering them to bring about real and lasting change in the hospitals and health systems in which they serve, as well as our field overall. The program’s watchwords are adapt, disrupt, innovate and grow.</p><p>This annual fellowship emphasizes building the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the changing needs of our patients and our communities. The highly interactive year-long program provides tomorrow’s health care leaders with the tools, experience and ability to drive innovation in health care delivery in ways that will benefit their organizations, patients and the health care field at large.</p><p>Its unique design pairs fellows with an executive-level mentor who guides them through the planning and execution of a year-long capstone project at their hospital or health system, tackling key issues and challenges affecting health care affordability, cost, quality and safety.</p><p>The results are impressive and signal great things to come. At the <a href="https://leadershipsummit.aha.org">2024 AHA Leadership Summit</a> beginning Sunday, we will once again showcase some of the innovative work reflected in the current class of fellows’ capstone projects. A few examples include:</p><ul><li>Integrating age-friendly practices into two medical surgical units, resulting in a reduced average length of stay from 5.06 to 4.7 days and readmission rate from 12% to 9.5%.</li><li>Developing a virtual 'home' for LGBTQ primary care within the community that emphasizes clinical care and patient experience guidelines for patients that identify as LGBTQ.</li><li>Implementing a 'Pathway to CNA' program that supports career advancement and upward mobility for individuals in entry-level roles within departments, such as environmental services, food and nutrition, and transportation.</li></ul><p>This kind of forward thinking and embrace of new approaches is the right prescription for preserving and strengthening a health care system that will continue to meet the needs of patients, families and communities into the future.</p><p>Over the next few days, we’ll be announcing the 2025 class of fellows and mentors, a cohort that is sure to continue exploring ways to expand innovation capacity, drive organizational change and digital transformation, and lead the shift from health care to well care.</p><p>Fellowship participants and mentors both say they get a lot out of the program, and they are making significant contributions to the health of health care in our country.</p><p>Please visit our <a href="/center/next-generation-leaders-fellowship">website</a> to learn more about the program and watch for information about applications for the next cohort as we work together to advance health for all.</p> Fri, 19 Jul 2024 08:53:24 -0500 Leadership Development