March 2026 Issue of Becker’s Hospital Review
On The Cover
Warner Thomas, president and CEO, Sutter Health
In every era of healthcare, leaders have been taught to think first about strategy — the ability to map the future, anticipate challenges, set priorities and deploy resources with discipline. Strategy matters. But the longer I lead, the clearer one truth becomes: even the strongest strategy will fall short without a healthy culture that embraces change and adopts the strategy.
Jim Molly, executive vice president, CFO and treasurer, Ochsner Health
Jim Molloy, executive vice president, CFO and treasurer of New Orleans-based Ochsner Health, has highlighted the “fundamental imbalance” between payment versus expenses in healthcare as systems navigate a challenging financial landscape in 2026.
Laura Wilt, chief digital officer, Sutter Health
Laura Wilt has a simple test for every AI initiative at Sutter Health: Does it make work easier, or does it improve care? If the answer is no, it shouldn’t be built.
Michelle Wimes, chief people officer, Children’s Mercy
As hospitals and health systems prioritize workforce well-being, they are moving siloed efforts into enterprisewide strategies.
Chris Harrison, CEO, Quorum Health
As financial pressure mounts across rural healthcare, revenue cycle management companies are rapidly expanding offerings aimed specifically at small, independent and community hospitals. The shift has been accelerated by staffing shortages, payer complexity and a new wave of federal rural health funding.
Blake Evans. system vice president of revenue cycle, Rush University System for Health
Ask a Revenue Cycle Leader is a new series featuring insights from health system and hospital revenue cycle executives nationwide. Becker’s poses questions on the most pressing issues in healthcare finance — from payer relations and automation to workforce and patient experience. We welcome responses from all revenue cycle, finance and reimbursement leaders.
Health systems enter ‘transition generation’
Health system leaders are heading into 2026 with a familiar mandate — grow, stabilize margins and invest for the future — but this year seems especially unpredictable and transitional.
How Sutter Health is turning AI into a people-first transformation engine
Laura Wilt has a simple test for every AI initiative at Sutter Health: Does it make work easier, or does it improve care? If the answer is no, it shouldn’t be built.
CIOs weigh opportunity and risk of embedded EHR AI
The next phase of the EHR is arriving quickly, and it is no longer just about documentation.
Revenue cycle companies target ‘gap in the market’ amid rural funding surge
As financial pressure mounts across rural healthcare, revenue cycle management companies are rapidly expanding offerings aimed specifically at small, independent and community hospitals. The shift has been accelerated by staffing shortages, payer complexity and a new wave of federal rural health funding.
A value-based care ‘unicorn’ in Southern California
While the U.S. healthcare industry largely operates in fee-for-service models, there are pockets of value-based care — including a “unicorn” model in Southern California.
The culture behind Memorial Hermann’s award-winning nursing units
Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston is earning national recognition for embedding healthy work environments into daily operations — a strategy leaders say is key to retaining nurses in today’s competitive workforce climate.
How health system leaders combat ‘meeting overload’
Two-thirds of workplace leaders cite meetings as the No. 1 thing they spend too much time on, according to a Feb. 10 Korn Ferry article.
A rural health system COO’s mission to improve patient access
Tyler Stapp, chief operating officer of Pineville (Ky.) Community Health Center, has spent his career in healthcare focused on improving patients’ access to care.
9 systems with dual CNO-COOs
Hybrid chief nursing officer and COO role are gaining traction in healthcare as systems look to streamline operations and executive teams.
The area of health system operations changing the fastest from 4 strategic leaders
Becker’s asked four healthcare strategic leaders what area of health system operations is changing the fastest.
‘Clinical reasoning isn’t going away’: How Hackensack Meridian teaches AI
U.S. medical schools vary widely in AI education, from optional lectures to required courses. At Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in Nutley, N.J., leaders are working to define and teach AI competency without compromising core clinical skills.
The medication-driven strategy shifting cancer care at WVU Medicine
At Morgantown, W.Va.-based WVU Medicine, one of the biggest shifts in cancer care is not happening inside a hospital. It is happening closer to patients’ homes.
Health system CHROs align siloed well-being strategies
As hospitals and health systems prioritize workforce well-being, they are moving siloed efforts into enterprisewide strategies.
Workforce strategies in the fastest-growing state
As the fastest-growing U.S. state, South Carolina’s population growth is prompting health systems to expand and strengthen their workforce to meet rising demand for care.
CEO Strategy
Culture is the backbone of strategy — and the key to healthcare’s future
In every era of healthcare, leaders have been taught to think first about strategy — the ability to map the future, anticipate challenges, set priorities and deploy resources with discipline. Strategy matters. But the longer I lead, the clearer one truth becomes: even the strongest strategy will fall short without a healthy culture that embraces change and adopts the strategy.
How health system leaders combat ‘meeting overload’
Two-thirds of workplace leaders cite meetings as the No. 1 thing they spend too much time on, according to a Feb. 10 Korn Ferry article.
CFO Finance
Health systems enter ‘transition generation’
Health system leaders are heading into 2026 with a familiar mandate — grow, stabilize margins and invest for the future — but this year seems especially unpredictable and transitional.
Ochsner CFO: Industry inefficiencies create ‘unlimited opportunity’
Jim Molloy, executive vice president, CFO and treasurer of New Orleans-based Ochsner Health, has highlighted the “fundamental imbalance” between payment versus expenses in healthcare as systems navigate a challenging financial landscape in 2026.
The team effort behind Moffitt’s operating margin growth
Tampa, Fla.-based Moffitt Cancer Center raised its operating margin to 7.4% in the second quarter of fiscal 2026, up from 3.8% during the same period last year, which executive vice president and CFO Joanna Weiss attributed to a strong team effort.
COO
A rural health system COO’s mission to improve patient access
Tyler Stapp, chief operating officer of Pineville (Ky.) Community Health Center, has spent his career in healthcare focused on improving patients’ access to care.
The area of health system operations changing the fastest from 4 strategic leaders
Becker’s asked four healthcare strategic leaders what area of health system operations is changing the fastest.
9 systems with dual CNO-COOs
Hybrid chief nursing officer and COO role are gaining traction in healthcare as systems look to streamline operations and executive teams.
CLIC
The culture behind Memorial Hermann’s award-winning nursing units
Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston is earning national recognition for embedding healthy work environments into daily operations — a strategy leaders say is key to retaining nurses in today’s competitive workforce climate.
The top workplace perk that keeps physicians at Northwestern
Of the 34 physicians Nauman Mushtaq, MD, has hired in the last decade, only two have left the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital. Yet he’s recruited from University of Chicago, Brigham and Women’s, Johns Hopkins and Cleveland Clinic. His secret to recruiting and retaining top talent?
‘Clinical reasoning isn’t going away’: How Hackensack Meridian teaches AI
U.S. medical schools vary widely in AI education, from optional lectures to required courses. At Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in Nutley, N.J., leaders are working to define and teach AI competency without compromising core clinical skills.
A value-based care ‘unicorn’ in Southern California
While the U.S. healthcare industry largely operates in fee-for-service models, there are pockets of value-based care — including a “unicorn” model in Southern California.
CIO
How Sutter Health is turning AI into a people-first transformation engine
Laura Wilt has a simple test for every AI initiative at Sutter Health: Does it make work easier, or does it improve care? If the answer is no, it shouldn’t be built.
CIOs weigh opportunity and risk of embedded EHR AI
The next phase of the EHR is arriving quickly, and it is no longer just about documentation.
PHARMACY
The medication-driven strategy shifting cancer care at WVU Medicine
At Morgantown, W.Va.-based WVU Medicine, one of the biggest shifts in cancer care is not happening inside a hospital. It is happening closer to patients’ homes.
How pharmacy fuels cancer strategy at 1 Mount Sinai hospital
As cancer care becomes increasingly driven by complex, high-cost therapies, health systems are rethinking how tightly oncology and pharmacy are integrated.
CHRO
Health system CHROs align siloed well-being strategies
As hospitals and health systems prioritize workforce well-being, they are moving siloed efforts into enterprisewide strategies.
Workforce strategies in the fastest-growing state
As the fastest-growing U.S. state, South Carolina’s population growth is prompting health systems to expand and strengthen their workforce to meet rising demand for care.
Tenet Florida hospital names CHRO
Tracey Crandall has been named CHRO of Tenet Healthcare’s Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Alabama children’s hospital taps chief human resources officer
Birmingham-based Children’s of Alabama has appointed Clara Blitch as chief human resources officer.
RCM Leader
Revenue cycle companies target ‘gap in the market’ amid rural funding surge
As financial pressure mounts across rural healthcare, revenue cycle management companies are rapidly expanding offerings aimed specifically at small, independent and community hospitals. The shift has been accelerated by staffing shortages, payer complexity and a new wave of federal rural health funding.
The leadership skills revenue cycle executives need now
Ask a Revenue Cycle Leader is a new series featuring insights from health system and hospital revenue cycle executives nationwide. Becker’s poses questions on the most pressing issues in healthcare finance — from payer relations and automation to workforce and patient experience. We welcome responses from all revenue cycle, finance and reimbursement leaders.
