Hospitals and health systems are rethinking their meeting strategies to provide more flexibility, reduce redundancies and improve engagement.
In a recent LinkedIn poll from organizational consulting firm Korn Ferry, nearly half of the 3,712 respondents said Monday morning meetings are too early in the week — triple those who said they energize them for the week ahead.
Diane Fleischmann, vice president of client services at Korn Ferry Health, recommends 15-minute, focused huddles instead of longer conference room meetings to start busy Monday mornings.
“It’s very quick, condensed, and getting folks onto their next phase of the day, while also making sure that they’re connecting as a team,” Ms. Fleischmann told Becker’s.
To avoid disconnects, she recommends conducting direct surveys or hosting conversations to understand what types of meetings energize team members. Leaders should also consider rotating responsibilities.
“Instead of it always being the leader putting together the agenda or asking rounding questions, is there an individual on their team that is interested in stepping into more of a leadership opportunity?” she said. “This gives them the opportunity to stretch their wings and think a little bit differently, showing that it’s not always the manager’s agenda, but it’s the team’s agenda.”
Becker’s connected with six hospital and health system leaders about how they are reimagining meetings in terms of format, frequency and function.
One-on-ones before team meetings
Renuka Gupta, MD, vice president and chief quality officer at Mary Washington Healthcare in Fredericksburg, Va., has shifted away from only large team meetings to intentionally meeting one-on-one with stakeholders first. This builds trust, deepens relationships, and ensures each team member feels heard, valued and aligned with team goals, she said.
The entire time is brought together once alignment is built individually.
“By that point, everyone is already on the same page, which makes for more efficient, focused, and empowering team discussions,” Dr. Gupta said. “It takes more time and ownership upfront, but it has significantly strengthened team cohesion, morale, and execution.”
Frontline contributions
Dr. Gupta also empowers frontline team members to lead and present in meetings, including to the C-suite.
“This not only builds their confidence and visibility, but also fosters trust and a sense of ownership across all levels,” she said. “What I’ve learned is that when people feel seen and respected, engagement deepens, and outcomes improve.”
Bob Duncan, executive vice president and COO of Connecticut Children’s, said his leadership team no longer assumes they know what team members need from meetings or rounding.
“Instead, we now ask — and act — based on what they tell us,” Mr. Duncan said. “Our revamped Leader Rounding program allows frontline managers to request rounding times that work best for their teams (including second and third shift), while leaders sign up directly and receive automated context about the departments they’re visiting.”
C-suite visibility and inclusion
Brian Gwyn, market president of Mercy Health–Cincinnati, initiated quarterly Zoom town hall meetings open to all staff. Associates can submit questions beforehand through a shared mailbox, Mr. Gwyn said.
“This initiative has significantly strengthened our team’s culture by promoting open communication and direct access to leadership, cultivating a united and informed workforce despite the challenges posed by daily responsibilities,” he said.
The market has also intentionally created an environment where the C-suite is more visible and accessible within hospitals, conducting monthly rounds at each site.
“In previous roles, I often observed a hesitance to challenge the status quo or engage in ‘managing up,'” Mr. Gwyn said. “However, I am grateful that this old-school mentality is not present in the Mercy Health–Cincinnati market.”
Reducing redundancies
Connecticut Children’s replaced a one-hour report-out with a focused 30-minute huddle to prioritize themes and next steps, in addition to its revamped leader rounding program.
“These changes have created more meaningful connections, reduced administrative friction, and built trust by showing that leadership is listening, visible and responsive,” Mr. Duncan said.
Carol Dozier, CEO of Norton King’s Daughters’ Health in Madison, Ind., said her hospital has also worked to consolidate to make better use of leaders’ time.
“Combining topics has enhanced the meeting content so we feel we have more meaningful discussions with different perspectives,” Ms. Dozier said.
In response to feedback from leaders, Denver Health intentionally eliminated content overlap between leader huddles and management meetings, according to Chief Human Resources Officer Amy King.
“With more than 400 leaders joining each session, we recognized the importance of making every minute matter,” Ms. King said. “By clarifying the purpose of each meeting, we reduced redundancy and enhanced engagement.”
Blocking off strategic time
Denver Health has implemented “strategic heads-up time” for senior leaders.
“We now block time one day a week for forward-looking work — time intentionally reserved for thinking strategically, connecting with peers, rounding on teams, and reflecting on the future,” Ms. King said. “In a fast-paced environment, it’s easy to default to inbox triage. This protected time helps us avoid getting lost in the day-to-day and reinforces our responsibility to lead with vision. It’s a small shift with big implications for culture, presence, and long-term impact.”
Rethinking agendas and note-taking
Laura Galster, vice president of planning and information services at Rutland Regional Medical Center in Rutland, Vt., said the organization is moving away from the requirement of a note-taker and formal agendas for some meetings.
“Instead, we use OneNote to facilitate a shared agenda that the attendees populate and generate both agenda items, as well as notes and follow-ups,” Ms. Galster said. “This eliminates the need and expectation to distribute notes, since the shared notes are always available in a shared location.”
When adopted well, this leads to improved efficiency and allows for greater accountability in follow-ups, she said.
Unscripted summits
Connecticut Children’s has introduced quarterly director summits and mini-summits for the top two levels of leaders, which are intentionally unscripted and designed to be open, face-to-face conversations asking leaders what challenges they are facing and what needs to change for them to succeed, Mr. Duncan said.
“By creating space for the hard, often uncomfortable discussions, we’re reinforcing that leadership isn’t about perfection — it’s about listening, growing, and adjusting in real time,” he said. “We know people don’t leave organizations, they leave managers — so we’re prioritizing the kind of leadership culture that keeps people engaged and supported.”
