Providence President and CEO Erik Wexler has outlined the 2030 strategic direction for the Renton, Wash.-based health system, which includes technological initiatives.
Mr. Wexler outlined the five-year roadmap June 23 in an internal message to employees of the 51-hospital organization.
In the message, which was shared with Becker’s, Mr. Wexler referenced what he has described as the “perfect storm” facing healthcare — including proposed federal cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, ongoing denials and delayed payments from commercial insurers, higher labor costs, inflation and potential tariffs.
Amid these pressures, Providence has taken several actions to ensure financial sustainability, including placing a freeze on nonclinical hiring, reorganizing top-level leadership and restricting nonessential travel, such as conference attendance.
Portland, Ore.-based Providence Health Plan, a division of Providence, also has laid off 4% of its workforce amid financial headwinds.
Most recently, the health system implemented a restructuring plan that will eliminate 600 full-time-equivalent positions across seven states.
“We are facing the short-term challenges head on and moving beyond clawing our way back to sustainability — toward a future that is both enduring and thriving,” Mr. Wexler told employees. “At the same time, we must be intentional about our long-term direction. As stewards of a nearly 170-year-old legacy serving the Western U.S., we have a responsibility to ask ourselves: How do we need to evolve to meet changing community needs? What do we aspire to become over the next five years, and what will it take to realize that pathway?”
Five things to know about the 2030 strategic roadmap:
1. Mr. Wexler summed up the strategic direction this way: “By 2030, we will be the best place to give and receive care as we create a delivery model for the future supported by innovation and positive change.”
2.The strategic direction is anchored by three pillars. Mr. Wexler said the first — “Be the best place to give and receive care” — will focus on standardizing clinical pathways and care coordination, expanding access, reducing wait times and broadly deploying self-scheduling. He said it will also emphasize gathering real-time patient feedback to drive meaningful improvements, investing in formation and development, and building care models that integrate strong teamwork and smart technology.
3. As part of the second pillar — “Create the delivery model of the future” — Providence aims to partner with like-minded organizations to expand access to care and deepen its commitment to value-based care. The system also plans to grow its presence in nontraditional settings such as virtual, ambulatory and in-home care; reduce health disparities and advocate for vulnerable populations; and continue investing in sustainable behavioral health models.
4. Mr. Wexler said the third pillar — “Drive focused innovation for positive change” — will center on investing in artificial intelligence-enabled tools, such as ambient scribing technology and inbox management tools, to streamline workflows and reduce administrative burden. He said the Providence Global Center in India will play a key role as the system strengthens digital connections with partners and collaborates with other health systems on shared solutions, including improved access to specialty pharmacy care.
5. Providence is finalizing initial strategic direction goals for the period ending in 2027.
