What a year for AI, federal policy and health plans

In 2025, many health system leaders renewed an enterprise-wide strategy while navigating major uncertainties. They evaluated growth, advanced ambulatory and service line efforts, and balanced performance, growth, and transformation. In 2026, health systems will need to clearly define how they’ll transform to fulfill their missions and better serve patients.

Editor’s note: This is a compilation of top pieces about the One Big Beautiful Bill published this year by Vizient and Kaufman Hall experts. Links to the full pieces can be found in...

Hospitals are getting squeezed from all sides, so winning will come down to nailing the basics—tight operations and finances, great quality, a workable payer mix, steadily better clinical talent, and a patient experience that’s easy and welcoming—with strong board and leadership teamwork to pull it all off.

From rapidly expiring Affordable Care Act enhanced tax credits a fast-evolving federal public health agenda, today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare Podcast delves into some of the biggest healthcare policy news of 2025.

After successfully reducing average length of stay (LOS) at its flagship hospital, Carilion Clinic set out to do something many health systems attempt, but few achieve: replicate a successful intervention across a diverse set of regional facilities. The result is a case study in the power and the challenge of operational systemness.

Newly published projections from The Commonwealth Fund highlight persistent physician shortages, limited telehealth access and infrastructure and payment challenges in rural healthcare.

HHS unveils AI strategy, hospitals improve patient safety, OPPS final rule expands site neutrality

Inflation pressures aren’t easing in 2025. Economic uncertainty, pharmacy and indirect spend are driving cost surges that squeeze margins and complicate strategic investment —...

A recent investor conversation at the Kaufman Hall Healthcare Leadership Conference offers insights as to where investors are focused today, and what borrowers can do to meet the market on favorable terms.

From managing non-labor expenses to strengthening the workforce, expanding access and navigating payer reimbursement, health systems shared the key challenges shaping their focus this year—and their planning for the year ahead.

Hospital volumes remained strong in October, while average length of stay declined, translating to a dip in net revenue per discharge. Bad debt and charity care continue to rise, and staffing levels are tightening.