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21 HEALTHCARE NEWS 21 CEO tenures at the 10 largest health systems By Kelly Gooch Most CEOs of the largest health systems in the U.S. have taken the helm of their respective organizations within the last five years. Healthcare CEOs' average tenures are 6.6 years, below the cross- industry average of 6.9 years, according to a 2023 report from Crist Kolder Associates. Here are the tenures of the CEOs at the 10 largest health systems in the U.S. e largest health systems were determined by number of hospitals, based on organizational data as of December. HCA Healthcare (Nashville, Tenn.) Samuel Hazen has served as CEO since January 2019. Before that, he served as president and COO since 2016. CommonSpirit Health (Chicago) Wright Lassiter III began his role as CEO in August 2022. Mr. Lassiter took the helm from Lloyd Dean, who retired aer more than two decades at the top of the nonprofit, Catholic health system. Ascension (St. Louis) Joseph Impicciche has served as CEO since July 2019. Mr. Impicciche served as president and CEO until February 2023, when Eduardo Conrado became president. Lifepoint Health (Brentwood, Tenn.) David Dill has served as CEO since 2018. He served as president and CEO from November 2018 to November 2021 and as president and COO from 2009 to 2018. Trinity Health (Livonia, Mich.) Mike Slubowski has served as president and CEO since July 2019. Before that, he was president and COO since May 2017. ScionHealth (Louisville, Ky.): Rob Jay has served as CEO since December 2021. He took the helm when ScionHealth launched following a transaction between LifePoint Health and Louisville-based Kindred Healthcare. Community Health Systems (Franklin, Tenn.) Tim Hingtgen has served as CEO since January 2021. Before that, Mr. Hingtgen was president and COO from September 2016 through December 2020. Advocate Health (Charlotte, N.C.): Eugene Woods has served as CEO since December 2022, when the organization formed following the merger of Advocate Aurora Health, dually headquartered in Milwaukee and Downers Grove, Ill., and Charlotte-based Atrium Health. Before that, Mr. Woods was president and CEO of Atrium Health since April 2016. Tenet Healthcare (Dallas) Saum Sutaria, MD, has served as CEO since September 2021. Before that, Dr. Sutaria was president and COO. He also has been chair of the company's board of directors since August 2023. Christus Health (Irving, Texas) Ernie Sadau has served as president and CEO since 2011. Mr. Sadau has also served as senior vice president and COO and as chief diversity and inclusion officer. n The biggest issue for CFOs in 2024 By Madeline Ashley F rom operating margins still causing challenges for many health systems to consistent worries about healthcare workforce shortages, the current economy has trumped cost reduction concerns for CFOs in 2024, according to a new Deloitte annual survey. Deloitte's annual survey of healthcare financial leaders has been conducted since 2020 by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. It features responses from more than 60 health plan and health system CFOs. Here are eight findings from the survey: 1. Cybersecurity was the second biggest organizational priority and concern for financial leaders in 2024. The impact of the upcoming U.S. election was No. 3, with consumer engagement and trust at No. 4 and supply chain disruption at No. 5. 2. Cost reduction was the top priority and concern for financial leaders in 2022 and the third largest priority in 2023. It fell to No. 17 in 2024. 3. Around 25% of surveyed CFOs shared that over the last three years, their operating margins fell below goal. Seventy-eight percent of finance leaders said operating margin improvement is among their top three organizational priorities. 4. "To help achieve their organizations' financial goals, finance leaders should implement new levers, technologies, or methods—and they should act quickly," the survey said. "If they fail to reach their margin goals, they might need to reduce their services and offerings, merge with or be acquired by another organization, or cut operational expenses to the point that it affects quality, which might conflict with their mission." 5. Advanced cybersecurity technologies have seen investment from 84% of the CFOs surveyed, with 60% prioritizing core technology investments, like customer relationship management solutions. 6. Nearly 2 in 3 of the surveyed financial leaders shared plans for venture investments in health or non-health startups in the next two years. 7. CFOs said the primary lever for cost reduction is optimizing the workforce. A strategic use of innovative practices and technology can aid leadership in improving efficiency and fostering a healthcare workforce sense of purpose, the survey said. 8. Only 24% percent of health system CFOs and 20% health plan CFOs said they are focused on partnerships and alliances. And despite the apparent popularity of mergers and acquisitions, 49% of CFOs said their organizations faced regulatory hurdles and 41% said market uncertainty is a concern for them. An increase in regulator scrutiny has also made it more challenging for dealmaking over the last year, CFOs said. n