Albuquerque, N.M.-based Lovelace Health System is adopting a measured approach to growth in 2026, with focus on strategic growth in outpatient care, virtual service and targeted expansion.
“Growing for growth’s sake will not be a winning strategy as we move forward,” Clifford Wilson, market president and CEO of Lovelace Health System, told Becker’s Feb. 10. “This opportunity isn’t about just doing more. It’s really about doubling down on those areas where the organization can truly differentiate themselves.”
Mr. Wilson has been in his role at Lovelace, which is part of Nashville, Tenn.-based Ardent Health, since early August 2025.
The health system comprises five hospitals, 33 healthcare clinics, seven urgent care clinics and seven outpatient therapy clinics. It has more than 3,500 employees, including more than 311 providers.
Part of the system’s strategic growth involves a new hospital in Valencia County, N.M., which Lovelace has partnered with Community Hospital Corp. and the Valencia County Board of Commissioners to develop.
Valencia County Hospital will feature 11 inpatient rooms, an emergency department, an imaging suite with MRI and CT, two operating rooms and two endoscopy suites.
The parties shared plans for the hospital in April 2024. CHC will manage daily operations at the hospital, while Lovelace will run the facility’s critical support services, including medical group support. The hospital will also feature Lovelace’s brand and Epic’s electronic health record platform. It is expected to open in early-to-mid fall 2026.
“It’s really about expanding access to care for all of New Mexico, and especially in those outlying or more rural areas,” Mr. Wilson said.
Mr. Wilson said the system had an allocation of funds, which primarily went toward the hospital’s development. Lovelace plans to follow the hospital’s opening with an ambulatory care strategy that includes medical outpatient building space and urgent care services in Valencia County.
“It’s really going to be about strategic and smart investments,” Mr. Wilson said. “When we think about M&A, de novo or investing in existing programs to expand or grow them further, it’s going to be about having a tactical approach that deepens those essential service lines, solidifying market position. As resources for all of us become more limited, having that analytical approach will be crucial.”
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