October 2025 Issue of Becker’s Hospital Review
ON THE COVER
Amy Perry, President and CEO, Banner Health
Healthcare is navigating one of its most challenging eras. Yet, progress is still happening in meaningful ways across the country — leaders are focused on clinical breakthroughs, strengthening their teams and expanding access or closing critical care gaps.
Daniel Barchi, CIO, CommonSpirit Health
With 230 AI applications live across its hospitals, Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health is setting a benchmark for thoughtful AI adoption in healthcare, CIO Daniel Barchi told Becker’s.
Kevin Mahoney, CEO, Penn Medicine
Healthcare is navigating one of its most challenging eras. Yet, progress is still happening in meaningful ways across the country — leaders are focused on clinical breakthroughs, strengthening their teams and expanding access or closing critical care gaps.
Biju Samkutty, COO of International and Enterprise Automation, Mayo Clinic
For decades, healthcare has invested in breakthrough technologies — from artificial intelligence to genomics to robotics — with the promise of delivering safer, smarter, more personalized care. Yet the most important IT problem remains unsolved.
Tim Plante, MSN, RN, CNO of Central Region, CommonSpirit Health
In the last few years, hospital leaders have been faced with a tangled web of needs: easing nurse shortages, retaining nurses, and helping all pursue their career dreams. Their solutions all come down to nurse education.
Robert Garrett, CEO, Hackensack Meridian Health
Healthcare is navigating one of its most challenging eras. Yet, progress is still happening in meaningful ways across the country — leaders are focused on clinical breakthroughs, strengthening their teams and expanding access or closing critical care gaps.
AI at CommonSpirit: 230 tools, $100M impact
With 230 AI applications live across its hospitals, Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health is setting a benchmark for thoughtful AI adoption in healthcare, CIO Daniel Barchi told Becker’s.
7 questions health system CEOs are grappling with now
Summer of 2025 was an unusual one for health system leaders across the country that, in many ways, seemed to move both slowly and abruptly at once. Here are seven of the many questions that health system CEOs are facing as the season winds down and the effects of one massive piece of federal legislation begin to take shape.
What’s getting better in healthcare: System CEOs share bright spots
Healthcare is navigating one of its most challenging eras. Yet, progress is still happening in meaningful ways across the country — leaders are focused on clinical breakthroughs, strengthening their teams and expanding access or closing critical care gaps.
Where are exiting CEOs headed in 2025?
Becker’s has reported on at least 130 hospital and health system CEO exits, including retirements and resignations, since Jan. 2. Of those exiting CEOs, roughly 50 resigned without announcing future plans.
Healthcare needs a stronger ‘backbone’
For decades, healthcare has invested in breakthrough technologies — from artificial intelligence to genomics to robotics — with the promise of delivering safer, smarter, more personalized care. Yet the most important IT problem remains unsolved.
Hospital indirect expenses mount: 20 statistics by department
Purchased services spending has increased across all departments in recent years and health systems are taking a closer look at the data to identify trends and opportunities to improve vendor contract management.
Why Mayo Clinic is launching new venture
Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic is creating and funding more companies as government support for research dries up, Global Venturing reported.
‘We have to look out for each other’: CFOs on tackling burnout
The responsibility of working in healthcare finance can often bring a heightened risk for burnout, a challenge that many hospital and health system CFOs are addressing not just for themselves, but also for their teams.
The next health system IT C-suite leader
Over the past few years, chief AI officers have been the newest addition to health systems’ IT C-suites. So who’s up next?
How Forbes’ best employers for women boost leadership development
Forty hospitals and health systems were named to Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers for Women 2025. The list recognizes organizations rated highly by employees on factors such as pay equity, parental leave and advancement opportunities.
Why this system is investing in a ‘loss-leading’ service many hospitals are abandoning
Since joining North Kansas City, Mo.-based NKC Health in 2021, Senior Vice President and CFO Austin Jones has steered the organization through a 40% growth in net patient service revenue and he’s not afraid to invest in areas many hospitals are abandoning.
The tangled web of nurse education
In the last few years, hospital leaders have been faced with a tangled web of needs: easing nurse shortages, retaining nurses, and helping all pursue their career dreams. Their solutions all come down to nurse education.
CFO / FINANCE
‘We have to look out for each other’: CFOs on tackling burnout
The responsibility of working in healthcare finance can often bring a heightened risk for burnout, a challenge that many hospital and health system CFOs are addressing not just for themselves, but also for their teams.
Why this system is investing in a ‘loss-leading’ service many hospitals are abandoning
Since joining North Kansas City, Mo.-based NKC Health in 2021, Senior Vice President and CFO Austin Jones has steered the organization through a 40% growth in net patient service revenue and he’s not afraid to invest in areas many hospitals are abandoning.
UT Health, UT San Antonio complete merger
The University of Texas at San Antonio merged with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio on Sept. 1 to become The University of Texas at San Antonio.
Hospital indirect expenses mount: 20 statistics by department
Purchased services spending has increased across all departments in recent years and health systems are taking a closer look at the data to identify trends and opportunities to improve vendor contract management.
CEO/STRATEGY
7 questions health system CEOs are grappling with now
Summer of 2025 was an unusual one for health system leaders across the country that, in many ways, seemed to move both slowly and abruptly at once. Here are seven of the many questions that health system CEOs are facing as the season winds down and the effects of one massive piece of federal legislation begin to take shape.
Healthcare needs a stronger ‘backbone’
For decades, healthcare has invested in breakthrough technologies — from artificial intelligence to genomics to robotics — with the promise of delivering safer, smarter, more personalized care. Yet the most important IT problem remains unsolved.
Where are exiting CEOs headed in 2025?
Becker’s has reported on at least 130 hospital and health system CEO exits, including retirements and resignations, since Jan. 2. Of those exiting CEOs, roughly 50 resigned without announcing future plans.
South Carolina system taps 5th CEO in 54 years
Lexington Health in West Columbia, S.C., has appointed Kirk Jenkins president and CEO.
CHS Indiana hospital taps assistant CEO
Joshua Baldobinos has been named assistant CEO of Northwest Health-Porter in Valparaiso, Ind., which is part of Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Heath Systems.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Eyeing retirement, Northwell Health COO reflects on 30-year tenure
Mark Solazzo, executive vice president and COO of New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health, recently shared with Becker’s that after three decades with the 21-hospital health system, he will retire at the end of the year. Among his accomplishments, Mr. Solazzo is credited with driving a major cultural transformation at Northwell after realizing the COO role should be “90% people” and that “culture changes everything.”
What’s getting better in healthcare: System CEOs share bright spots
Healthcare is navigating one of its most challenging eras. Yet, progress is still happening in meaningful ways across the country — leaders are focused on clinical breakthroughs, strengthening their teams and expanding access or closing critical care gaps.
The area healthcare has been slow to address, per Nationwide Children’s CEO
The healthcare industry is not taking action with respect to population and behavioral health at the level it should, according to Tim Robinson, CEO of Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
INNOVATION
The next health system IT C-suite leader
Over the past few years, chief AI officers have been the newest addition to health systems’ IT C-suites. So who’s up next?
Why Mayo Clinic is launching new venture
Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic is creating and funding more companies as government support for research dries up, Global Venturing reported.
12 Big Tech health system partnerships
Health systems continue to partner with Big Tech on AI and digital health projects. Here are 12 collaborations Becker’s reported on in the past month.
University Hospitals taps its VC arm to help set priorities
University Hospitals in Cleveland is giving UH Ventures — its innovation and commercialization arm — a larger role in shaping systemwide priorities, even as it holds steady on its venture investment strategy amid financial pressures.
CMO/CARE DELIVERY
The tangled web of nurse education
In the last few years, hospital leaders have been faced with a tangled web of needs: easing nurse shortages, retaining nurses, and helping all pursue their career dreams. Their solutions all come down to nurse education.
ANA decries CDC shake up
The American Nurses Association expressed “alarm” over the abrupt removal of the CDC director and string of resignations among key leaders of the agency.
HCA’s ‘smoke detector for sepsis’ tool
Thousand Oaks, Calif.-based HCA Healthcare’s Los Robles Health System has created a tool that acts as a “smoke detector for sepsis,” according to an Aug. 26 news release shared with Becker’s.
CIO/HEALTH IT
Epic’s AI shift: What health system leaders need to know
Epic has been the talk of healthcare executives since the EHR company launched several new AI products at its annual conference for customers Aug. 18-21.
AI at CommonSpirit: 230 tools, $100M impact
With 230 AI applications live across its hospitals, Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health is setting a benchmark for thoughtful AI adoption in healthcare, CIO Daniel Barchi told Becker’s.
WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP
How Forbes’ best employers for women boost leadership development
Forty hospitals and health systems were named to Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers for Women 2025. The list recognizes organizations rated highly by employees on factors such as pay equity, parental leave and advancement opportunities.
Women-held roles driving majority of healthcare job growth
Nearly 75% of the 1.8 million jobs added in healthcare and social assistance over the past two years were women-held roles, according to an Aug. 26 report from Indeed’s Hiring Lab.
Maternal care crisis gives way to new health system executive roles
A growing number of hospitals and health systems have expanded their C-suite ranks in the last few years to include leaders dedicated to advancing maternal and infant health, reflecting a new level of urgency as hospitals work to address longstanding disparities in outcomes and prepare for a projected rise in high-risk pregnancies.
