March 2025 Issue of Becker’s Hospital Review
ON THE COVER
Amy Perry. CEO at Banner Health
Amy Perry’s first 100 days as Banner Health CEO involved a great deal of listening to employees, with a focus on the organization’s vision.
Ashis Barad, MD. Chief digital and technology officer at Hospital for Special Surgery
New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery established a new C-suite role when it appointed Ashis Barad, MD, chief digital and technology officer in September.
Kimberly Cripe, Co-CEO at Rady Children’s Health
Following the merger of Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and Orange, Calif.-based Children’s Hospital of Orange County to form Rady Children’s Health, the three-hospital system’s co-CEOs, Kimberly Cripe and Patrick Frias, MD, are ready to hit the ground running as a dynamic duo.
Patrick Frias, MD, Co-CEO at Rady Children’s Health
Following the merger of Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and Orange, Calif.-based Children’s Hospital of Orange County to form Rady Children’s Health, the three-hospital system’s co-CEOs, Kimberly Cripe and Patrick Frias, MD, are ready to hit the ground running as a dynamic duo.
Bobbie Byrne, MD. CIO of Advocate Health
Health systems experienced another year of digital advancement in 2024, with more big EHR moves and a push toward generative AI.
Why Hospital for Special Surgery created a new C-suite tech role
New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery established a new C-suite role when it appointed Ashis Barad, MD, chief digital and technology officer in September.
Health systems: It’s time to break up with short-termism
Health systems begin 2025 emerging from a half-decade of crisis management. Now is the time for executive teams to lift their heads from quarterly survival and make bets on their long-term future.
Why health system C-suites are nervous about 2030
Hospitals and health systems are in the midst of financial recovery after the pandemic, but potentially bigger challenges loom in the next five years.
Co-CEOs outline vision for merged California system
Following the merger of Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and Orange, Calif.-based Children’s Hospital of Orange County to form Rady Children’s Health, the three-hospital system’s co-CEOs, Kimberly Cripe and Patrick Frias, MD, are ready to hit the ground running as a dynamic duo.
Investor confidence wavers in healthcare
Healthcare stocks begin 2025 with headwinds and election-driven uncertainty compounding an already tough market.
To build trust in AI, involve nurses early, leaders say
As AI-powered platforms enter healthcare, industry leaders told Becker’s that involving nurses early in AI implementation discussions can help alleviate concerns and build trust.
5 watch-outs for hospital C-suites in the next 4 years
President-elect Donald Trump will take office for his second term Jan. 20 and his administration could change the landscape for hospitals and health systems across the nation.
The financial toll of the Change Healthcare hack: 7 numbers
The cost of the Change Healthcare cyberattack continues to mount for parent company UnitedHealth Group.
Medical debt to be cut from credit reports: 4 things to know
Medical bills will no longer be included on credit reports under a rule finalized by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Amazon expands healthcare AI ambitions
Amazon Web Services is teaming up with Aidoc to develop advanced AI tools that improve patient care.
Top 25 health systems’ most-successful digital projects of ’24
Health systems experienced another year of digital advancement in 2024, with more big EHR moves and a push toward generative AI.
$800M+ vaccine investment aims to boost pandemic readiness
HHS is investing more than $800 million in vaccine development and manufacturing capacity to strengthen the nation’s response capabilities to emerging infectious disease threats, including bird flu.
When Judy Faulkner met KLAS
In 1999, Epic founder and CEO Judy Faulkner got a call from Kent Gale from KLAS after the EHR vendor came in first in the health IT researcher’s survey of healthcare organizations, she recalled in a January blog post.
CFO / FINANCE
Why health system C-suites are nervous about 2030
Hospitals and health systems are in the midst of financial recovery after the pandemic, but potentially bigger challenges loom in the next five years.
WVU Medicine’s ‘secret sauce’ to success
Morgantown, W.Va.-based WVU Medicine saw a busy year of growth in 2024, bringing the health system’s portfolio to 25 hospitals after it finalized the purchase of Weirton (W.Va.) Medical Center on Jan. 1. The system also received board approval to invest $400 million into new healthcare facilities across the state. It’s this kind of growth that WVU Medicine CFO Nick Barcellona told Becker’s Healthcare Podcast he wants to carry into 2025.
Investor confidence wavers in healthcare
Healthcare stocks begin 2025 with headwinds and election-driven uncertainty compounding an already tough market.
Medical debt to be cut from credit reports: 4 things to know
Medical bills will no longer be included on credit reports under a rule finalized by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
CEO/STRATEGY
Why wellness is a high priority for Banner Health’s CEO
Amy Perry’s first 100 days as Banner Health CEO involved a great deal of listening to employees, with a focus on the organization’s vision.
Ochsner LSU Health CEO to return to Kaiser
Corwin Harper, who most recently served as CEO of Shreveport, La.-based Ochsner LSU Health, will rejoin Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente on Jan. 21.
FIU Health taps CEO
Osmel “Ozzie” Delgado, PharmD, has been appointed CEO of FIU Health, the clinical practice of Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in Miami. He has also been appointed associate dean of clinical affairs at the medical school.
Co-CEOs outline vision for merged California system
Following the merger of Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and Orange, Calif.-based Children’s Hospital of Orange County to form Rady Children’s Health, the three-hospital system’s co-CEOs, Kimberly Cripe and Patrick Frias, MD, are ready to hit the ground running as a dynamic duo.
Why 2024 was a ‘banner year’ for Jefferson Health
Following the Aug. 1 merger of Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health and Allentown, Pa.-based Lehigh Valley Health Network, the system has been working on integrating its 32 hospitals and more than 700 care sites.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Health systems: It’s time to break up with short-termism
Health systems begin 2025 emerging from a half-decade of crisis management. Now is the time for executive teams to lift their heads from quarterly survival and make bets on their long-term future.
Ardent CEO talks 18 urgent care clinic acquisitions, Epic integration
It’s been a busy 2024 for Ardent Health acquisitions. The Brentwood, Tenn.-based health system acquired nine urgent care centers in 2024 in Topeka, Kan., and East Texas, and 18 urgent care clinics across New Mexico and Oklahoma in early 2025.
INNOVATION
To build trust in AI, involve nurses early, leaders say
As AI-powered platforms enter healthcare, industry leaders told Becker’s that involving nurses early in AI implementation discussions can help alleviate concerns and build trust.
Amazon expands healthcare AI ambitions
Amazon Web Services is teaming up with Aidoc to develop advanced AI tools that improve patient care.
Top 25 health systems’ most-successful digital projects of ’24
Health systems experienced another year of digital advancement in 2024, with more big EHR moves and a push toward generative AI.
When Judy Faulkner met KLAS
In 1999, Epic founder and CEO Judy Faulkner got a call from Kent Gale from KLAS after the EHR vendor came in first in the health IT researcher’s survey of healthcare organizations, she recalled in a January blog post.
Kaiser Permanente leads $275M investment in healthcare data platform
Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente and Phoenix-based Banner Health are backing a healthcare data company in a $275 million funding round.
CMO/CARE DELIVERY
How health systems infuse quality into daily operations
Gone are the days when quality is owned by a single department or measured on a distant dashboard.
MedStar’s ‘game changer’ in closing maternal care gaps
MedStar Washington (D.C.) Hospital Center is closing the gap on maternal and infant health disparities with a new program, The Washington Post reported Jan. 21.
Intermountain hospital boosts nurse retention to 97% with group mentoring
Denver-based Intermountain Health/Saint Joseph Hospital has had a nurse mentoring program since 2018, but in 2023, it decided to redo everything.
$800M+ vaccine investment aims to boost pandemic readiness
HHS is investing more than $800 million in vaccine development and manufacturing capacity to strengthen the nation’s response capabilities to emerging infectious disease threats, including bird flu.
CIO/HEALTH IT
Why Hospital for Special Surgery created a new C-suite tech role
New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery established a new C-suite role when it appointed Ashis Barad, MD, chief digital and technology officer in September.
‘We have to rethink rural healthcare’: Inside Intermountain’s coalition
A coalition led by Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Health is working to address the increasing challenges in rural healthcare.
The financial toll of the Change Healthcare hack: 7 numbers
The cost of the Change Healthcare cyberattack continues to mount for parent company UnitedHealth Group.
WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP
Tampa General names COO
Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital has named Melissa Golombek, DNP, as executive vice president and COO.
U of North Carolina taps 2 physicians for leadership roles
The UNC School of Medicine and UNC Health, both based in Chapel Hill, N.C., have selected two physicians to fill key leadership roles.
