Several health systems revamped their leadership structures in 2025. What results have they seen so far?
Some changes included creating new roles, eliminating others, and establishing new markets or regions with dedicated leadership teams. Many systems cited a need for greater efficiency and connectivity to improve patient care.
Becker’s connected with three health system leaders to learn how these efforts have impacted their organizations so far.
Hackensack Meridian Health
Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health announced a new leadership structure in May. Nearly a decade after the merger that created the system, leaders decided to eliminate the regional president role and create two in its stead: president of the acute care hospital division and president of specialty hospitals and clinical services.
The aim was to enhance integrated patient care, streamline operations and drive innovation, CEO Robert Garrett told Becker’s.
“There’s no question that this is helping us further optimize operations and enhance collaboration,” Mr. Garrett said. “The result is that the network is more clinically integrated, and we are seeing improved outcomes. For example, Hackensack Meridian has reduced readmissions by 5% while the national average has increased by 1.5%.”
The new structure has also improved specialty care, particularly in behavioral health and rehabilitation.
“We have expanded beyond our primary behavioral health facility, Carrier Clinic, to create an 81-bed regional hub for mental health services 40 miles away at our medical center in Perth Amboy to expand access and better coordinate care,” Mr. Garrett said. “We are also better integrating behavioral healthcare throughout the 18-hospital system.”
Hackensack Meridian has also expanded access to the Johnson Rehabilitation Institute at JFK University Medical Center by offering its services at two additional hospitals and accommodating rehabilitation admissions more quickly, he added.
Novant Health
Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Novant Health restructured its leadership operating model in February, establishing acute and ambulatory operating units and formalizing a regional structure. The goal was to strengthen alignment and enable greater agility as the system expands access across the Carolinas, President and CEO Carl Armato told Becker’s.
The model balances systemwide priorities with local flexibility, allowing leaders to work together as “One Novant Health” to deliver affordable, consistent, high-quality care while tailoring strategies to the unique needs of each community, Mr. Armato said.
“Since implementing the new structure, we’ve accelerated the way we conduct integrated strategic planning by launching a unified enterprise and regional strategic plan to align quality goals, clinical program development, access strategies and team member investments under one framework,” he said. “Additionally, we’ve refined our capital strategy to ensure investments are tied to enterprise priorities and regional needs that advance clinical programs and community health.”
Having clear priorities has allowed Novant to innovate at scale and focus digital health and artificial intelligence efforts where they have the most impact in supporting team members, improving quality and expanding access, he added.
“This structural and cultural transformation unites systemwide strategy with regional execution, so Novant Health is best positioned to meet the demands of a rapidly changing healthcare environment and create a healthier future for every community we serve,” Mr. Armato said.
Sentara Health
Norfolk, Va.-based Sentara Health shifted to a market-based operating model in May, creating four market regions for its 12 hospitals, each market with its own president.
Since the transition, dialogue among business units has flourished, Eric Conley, executive vice president and president of acute and post-acute care, told Becker’s.
“From ambulatory to the medical group, from the health plan to acute and post-acute care, now we are all in the room driving things forward together,” Mr. Conley said. “In addition, for the first time, we now have a concrete, strategic growth plan tailored for each market.”
Sentara has also begun to see improvements in length of stay. With vice presidents and senior directors working beyond hospital silos, leaders are gaining broader experience and performing more effectively, Mr. Conley said.
Now, Sentara is having robust, comprehensive conversations around strategic growth.
“Also, now we can develop ways of implementing particular strategies that align with our different markets, so that each market benefits from our system-wide strategy,” he said. “Recent efforts have led to positive impacts on our cardiology and oncology strategies. In addition, we have improved how we cohort patients and where we offer our services.”
The reorganization has also advanced the integrated delivery network concept, Mr. Conley added.
“For example, in our different markets, now we can execute strategies to deliver better, more efficient care in each specific market based on these numbers,” he said. “Our reorganization has also enabled our care delivery leaders to better understand the health plan space, helping them deliver an improved overall product to the consumer.”
