By effectively putting strategy into action, hospitals and healthcare systems can thrive amid today’s financial and operational challenges and position themselves to confront the looming threats that are just around the corner.

GLP-1 therapies mark a turning point in healthcare; what began as a diabetes therapy now helps with obesity, sleep apnea and more. Here are three emerging ideas that may represent the next breakthrough that will redefine healthcare.

In the ongoing debate over healthcare costs, attention often centers on the price of drugs, hospital stays and payers. But behind the scenes, a quieter set of figures has been growing steadily: non-clinical expenses.

As Medicare turns 60, new challenges are on the horizon: from site-neutral reforms to payment model shifts. These challenges will be compounded by the One Big Beautiful Bill’s impact. A proactive response will help ensure that hospitals remain vital community institutions in the decades ahead.

A recent Vizient benchmarking survey found the top barrier to implementing AI is a lack of clear return on investment. A successful AI strategy must include a clear prioritization framework and a deeper understanding of value.

Multi-year health plan products have the potential to change a lot about how healthcare business models work today.

The challenges that hospitals and health systems currently face are amplifying this complexity, from uncertainty about potential changes to federal healthcare policy—including Medicaid and NIH funding cuts and tariffs—inflation, and ongoing workforce challenges.

Senior healthcare leaders and board members routinely ask us the following two questions.

Assessing the future of healthcare price transparency requires taking a couple of steps back to review its recent history.

The hospital and health system leaders we work with are extremely concerned about the financial impact their organizations may experience from potentially significant Medicaid policy changes, following the recent passage of a budget resolution by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Possible limitations on state directed payment programs could have a significant impact on many hospitals’ bottom line. Organizations should act now to model the impact and identify steps that could help mitigate it.

The impact of federal policy changes on not-for-profit healthcare was the focus of Kaufman Hall’s 2025 Spring Rating Agency update. Our panelists from Fitch, Moody’s and S&P Global discussed potential cuts to the Medicaid program, site neutral payments, the tax-exempt status of private activity bonds and tariffs and supply chain challenges.