Start the critical cost-reduction phase and take an in-depth look at clinical care, using data analytics.

(Part 1 of a 3-part blog series) Banks and credit unions need an accurate, flexible, and transparent plan to guide their strategies for addressing external forces, such as economic volatility, regulation, competition, and changing customer demands.

“Digital strategy” is the phrase of the moment in healthcare. That’s no surprise, with 95 percent of Americans owning a cell phone, 88 percent using the internet, and 72 percent using services of the digital economy. Yet the focus of a truly successful digital strategy transcends what we usually think of as digital.

Benchmarks for how well America’s hospitals and health systems are prioritizing consumerism and building consumer-centric capabilities.

Recent news about investments in outpatient care among non-traditional competitors should put hospitals and health systems on notice: The nature of healthcare today is generating aggressive competition for patients and physicians. The stakes are high. Remaining competitive will require a planning process that is as nimble and assertive as that of new competitors.

The latest Industry Flash Report looks at mergers, acquisitions, and partnership activity in the Home Health and Hospice sectors, including the major players involved, and the implications for hospitals and health systems.

This paper describes the complexity of the staffing system, and suggests how the infusion of contemporary science with the art of current staffing could significantly improve staff allocation.

Q&A with Eugene Woods, President and CEO, Carolinas HealthCare System Read this Q&A to hear how Carolinas HealthCare System (CHS) approaches and organizes innovation initiatives, as well as how their President and CEO would advise others to go about embracing innovation and creative thinking.

Post-allocation management ensures continued alignment of financial performance with strategic planning cash-flow requirements.

Q&A with Bruce Lawrence, President and CEO, INTEGRIS Read this Q&A to hear how INTEGRIS positions itself for changes to healthcare's business model, if they are able to link consumer focus with strategy for growth, and how it approached innovation at the system level.

Until recently, many hospital and health system executives have counted on relatively stable margins from laboratory departments. The economics of lab testing is changing dramatically due to market forces, including reduced Medicare payments, competition from national labs, higher cost sharing for patients, growth in bundled payments, and more.

The pace of healthcare consolidation has been accelerating significantly. Between 2006 and 2016, the number of announced hospital and health system transactions increased 55 percent. As I discuss these trends with healthcare executives across the country, the question I hear most often is: What is the endgame?