Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1541770
15 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP clinical and operational integration needed to realize efficiencies and therefore benefit from 'systemness.' Today, consolidation is increasingly a matter of survival. Many health systems are losing money, and the cuts in federal programs are growing faster than health systems can improve margin. Encouragingly, many systems are now more integrated, both clinically and operationally, creating new opportunities to improve value. e conditions are ripe for improving value from consolidation. If the caregivers in our health systems believe their job is to improve value, belong to a learning community where everyone drives quality improvement and help build disciplined management and shared accountability systems that require results from everyone in the chain of care – from the market, to the hospital, to the unit, to the practice, to the clinician – hospital consolidation can be a positive force to improve quality and value. In my view, it all depends on whether health system leaders can guide their organizations along this journey to believe, belong and build. David Ohm. Chief Strategic Development Officer of MultiCare Health System (Tacoma, Wash.): Hospital consolidation is expected to gain momentum over the next three to four years as health systems aim for increased scale, efficiency, and resilience. e reduction of regulatory barriers and favorable market conditions may facilitate more mergers, particularly among regional providers. is trend has the potential to broaden access to specialized care, enhance infrastructure investments, and hasten the adoption of advanced technologies. Although concerns about rising costs and diminishing competition persist, thoughtful planning and community engagement will play a role in maintaining balance. When managed thoughtfully, consolidation can provide significant benefits to patients and communities while preserving affordability and choice. Paula Ferrada, MD. Chair Department of Surgery Inova Fairfax Medical Campus; Division and System Chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at Inova Healthcare System (Fairfax, Va.): Hospital consolidation in the coming years will only succeed if it moves beyond mergers of infrastructure to mergers of purpose. True progress happens when consolidation fosters collaboration — the new competition — uniting hospitals around shared values, transparency, and compassion. Financial alignment is essential, but numbers alone don't sustain systems — shared vision does. e most resilient organizations will be those that balance fiscal responsibility with the moral imperative to care, invest in people, and keep the patient at the center of every decision. At Inova, we've seen that sustainable growth depends on bringing clinicians into the decision-making process, ensuring that operational strategy and patient care remain inseparable. When collaboration guides consolidation, we don't just build larger systems — we build stronger, more human communities of healing. Faimy Vanleeuwen, RN, BSN. Regional Director of Quality at Baptist Health South Florida, North Region (Coral Gables, Fla.): As a regional quality director, I see hospital consolidation over the next 3-4 years as a significant opportunity to advance quality and patient safety. Integration allows for standardization of best practices, shared data, and consistent performance improvement framework across facilities within our system. It also enhances predictive analytics and strengthens accountability for patient outcomes across the continuum of care. However, consolidation must be carefully managed to preserve local culture, communication, and team engagement. e keys to success in this area will be ensuring integration doesn't dilute our culture of safety or the unique strengths of each hospital but to amplify it through collaboration and system learning. Overall, I view this evolution as a positive step toward delivering high-reliability, data- driven and patient centered-care at scale. Zafar Chaudry, MD. Senior Vice President, Chief Digital Officer and Chief AI and Chief Information Officer of Seattle Children's: I fully expect the trend of consolidation to continue and likely accelerate, primarily driven by financial pressures and the high cost of digital transformation. Smaller, independent hospitals struggling with rising labor and supply expenses, coupled with the massive capital investment required for essential technologies like advanced analytics systems, robust cybersecurity, and AI platforms, will increasingly seek to merge with or be acquired by larger systems. is consolidation provides the necessary economies of scale, access to capital, and the pooled data required to optimize operations, move care to lower-cost outpatient settings, and ultimately deliver more efficient, integrated, and technology-enabled care to patients. However, we'll see a mix of distress- driven mergers and strategic alliances, with increased regulatory scrutiny on the largest deals pushing organizations toward more creative partnership structures. Quanna Batiste-Brown, DNP, RN. Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Touro Infirmary, LCMC Health (New Orleans): Over the next three to four years, I anticipate continued hospital consolidation across the United States, driven by economic pressures, workforce challenges, and the need for greater operational efficiency. Smaller hospitals and independent facilities may increasingly find it difficult to sustain operations amid rising costs, reimbursement constraints, and evolving regulatory requirements. From a nursing leadership perspective, consolidation presents both opportunities and challenges. On the positive side, larger health systems can leverage shared resources, standardized clinical practices, and integrated technology platforms to enhance quality, safety, and patient outcomes. Consolidation also creates opportunities for nursing innovation, expanded professional development, and greater alignment of care delivery models across the continuum. However, we must be mindful of potential downsides — such as loss of community identity, workforce disruption, and the risk of decision-making becoming too far removed from frontline caregivers. My focus as CNO will be to ensure that, as consolidation occurs, the voice of nursing remains central to strategic discussions. We must preserve a culture of compassionate, patient-centered care while optimizing efficiency and ensuring that our nurses are supported, empowered, and equipped to deliver excellent care in any setting within the system. In short, consolidation is inevitable — but with intentional leadership, it can become a catalyst for stronger collaboration, greater equity, and more sustainable care models for our patients and staff alike. Bashar Naser. Chief Financial and Operating Officer of CHRISTUS Southern New Mexico (Alamogordo): I believe we are going to continue to see more consolidation among healthcare systems to further enhance strategic position, improve quality outcomes, consolidate cost and overhead to preserve margins and market share. With new government cuts in reimbursement, hospitals will continue to look for opportunities to reduce cost, use AI to enhance operation and become more efficient. Sean O'Grady. President of Acute and Ambulatory Care at Endeavor Health (Evanston, Ill.): It is clear that hospitals continue to play an important role in caring for the most acutely ill patients in our communities, but they haven't been the