Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1534081
13 CEO / STRATEGY 10 priorities for healthcare CEOs in 2025 By Kristin Kuchno H ealthcare CEOs are prioritizing collaboration, health equity and workforce development in 2025, according to insights from executive search firm WittKieffer, as outlined in a Feb. 5 article. The priorities are drawn from conversations with healthcare CEOs and research conducted by WittKieffer's commercial strategy and insights team. Here are 10 key focus areas for healthcare CEOs in 2025, per WittKieffer: 1. Embracing the mindset of a healthcare portfolio manager. As healthcare moves toward a period of growth, leaders are evaluating geographic regions, services lines and facilities to maximize impact. 2. Promoting an interconnected and collaborative environment. Health systems are shifting toward a more integrated, systemwide approach, ensuring consistency in processes, goals and patient experiences. 3. Preparing in advance for regulatory changes. Healthcare leaders are also focused on staying ahead of evolving policies and compliance requirements, leveraging opportunities while mitigating risks. 4. Fostering a holistic approach to care. Patient expectations are increasingly focused on wellness and prevention, leading organizations to explore new care models and continuous feedback mechanisms. 5. Further developing health equity initiatives. As public health challenges grow, organizations are expanding services to address social determinants of health, such as mobile care and school- based telehealth. 6. Creating a supportive culture to enhance recruitment and retention. Leaders are prioritizing flexible work arrangements, psychological safety and formal recognition programs. 7. Building pathways for leadership development. Organizations are investing in leadership training and internal career growth opportunities. 8. Strengthening employer partnerships. With employer- sponsored insurance covering a significant portion of the population, healthcare organizations are expanding onsite prevention and screening clinics and offering health education programs to improve employee health and reduce costs. 9. Making space for transformative technologies. As AI and automation become more prevalent, organizations are focusing on leadership structures to support implementation. 10. Strengthening and rebuilding trust. Healthcare leaders are prioritizing transparency and engagement with frontline workers to rebuild trust with staff, patients and their communities. n The most 'overrated' and 'underrated' CEOs, per executives By Kelly Gooch F ortune has released the results of its cross-industry survey of business executives who voted on the "most underrated" and "most overrated" CEOs. Fortune released the results alongside its list of most admired companies, which was published Jan. 29. For its list of most admired companies, analysts examined about 1,500 candidates: the 1,000 largest U.S. companies, ranked by revenue, along with non-U.S. companies in Fortune's Global 500 database that earn revenue of at least $10 billion. ey then narrowed candidates to the highest- revenue companies in each industry, a total of 650 in 30 countries. Korn Ferry and Fortune then examined those 650 companies and surveyed more than 3,300 executives to measure reputation based on nine different attributes. As part of the process, executives could vote for the Fortune 500 CEOs who they feel are either overrated or underrated. e most underrated Fortune 500 CEO, with 285 votes, is Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO of Microso, according to results shared with Becker's. Mr. Nadella was rated the most underrated CEO for the ninth consecutive year — "having helped make Microso tenfold more valuable during his tenure, thanks to timely pivots to the cloud and AI," Fortune noted. Mr. Nadella has led the company as CEO since 2014. Other top votegetters for most underrated CEO were Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, at 143 votes, Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart, at 119 votes, Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta, at 85 votes and Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, at 84 votes. Fortune also sought guidance from executives on who, of their peers, may be overrated, with Tesla's Elon Musk securing that designation for the third consecutive year, with 455 votes. e CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and owner of X (formerly Twitter), whom President Donald Trump selected to oversee a team at the Department of Government Efficiency, is serving as a "special government employee," the White House confirmed, according to e Washington Post. Mr. Musk "has increased his prominence enormously by helping [President] Donald Trump win the presidency; his reputation as a leader may be seen as inflated, but his influence is unmatched," according to Fortune. Other top votegetters for most overrated were Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, at 326 votes, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms, at 200 votes, James Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, at 192 votes and Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, at 188 votes. n