The Strategy Catalyst Dispatch

In this episode of The Strategy Catalyst Dispatch, we unpack why expanding a physician workforce alone can't fully resolve access challenges and how Inova Health System has targeted the problem through a coordinated access-and-flow strategy. 

Michelle Vassallo, VP of Operations, Clinical Enterprise, walks us through the systemwide standards, centralized infrastructure, and unified referral and transfer processes that allow Inova to unlock “virtual capacity” and move patients to the right place, at the right time, with the right resources.

 To learn more of Strategy Catalyst's access work and in-depth case studies, click here: https://hmacad...

This week's edition recaps our favorite intel and insights from the Fall 2025 CSO Forum held in San Diego. We also take a look at the new ACCESS model unveiled by CMS with outcomes-based payments.

In this episode of The Strategy Catalyst Dispatch, we explore a commonly cited theme in strategic plans that rarely gets commensurate investment: culture transformation. Matt Terry, Chief Strategy Officer at Wellstar Health System, shares how Wellstar has positioned culture as a strategic pillar to make it visible, measurable, and fundable alongside other enterprise priorities. Building on Strategy Catalyst’s Strategic Plan Compendium we examine: 

This week's edition looks at Intermountain Health's pediatric growth strategy, Ballad Health's lawsuit against UnitedHealth, AI highlights from the HLTH 2025 conference, and a recent Senate HELP Committee hearing on 340B reform.

This week's episode covers the shifting landscape for CMS innovation payment models, the challenges that the government shutdown poses for AMCs, Amazon Pharmacy's new prescription drug kiosks, and the Hospital for Special Surgeries partnership with General Atlantic to establish a nationwide ASC chain.

 This week’s episode covers the ongoing federal government shutdown and its implications for health systems, including lapses in telehealth and hospital-at-home flexibilities, paused Medicaid payments, and the potential loss of coverage for millions if ACA subsidies expire. It also explores major insurers’ contraction in Medicare Advantage markets, Evolent Health’s sale of its ACO to Privia Health, and new visa fees that could intensify physician shortages by restricting international medical hiring. 

CFOs and COOs are navigating one of the most turbulent years in recent memory since 2020. From historic Medicaid cuts to escalating battles with payers, health system leaders are bracing for financial, political, and reputational pressures that demand new strategies.

In this episode of The Dispatch, we unpack the key themes from The Health Management Academy's 2025 CFO and COO forums:

As the Trump administration continues its tariff agenda, health systems are grappling with a new wave of disruption, spanning medical goods, supplies, capital infrastructure, and the pharmaceutical pipeline. In this episode of The Dispatch, hear from Jerome Pagani, Executive Director of Strategy Catalyst, who breaks down what this means for health systems, along with supply chain and procurement experts assessing the front-line impacts and how systems are recalibrating. 

From vendor negotiations and procurement triage to capital planning and pharmaceutical risk, this episode is a must-listen for strategy leaders confronting pricing volatility and policy unpredictability. 

Leaders fe...

This episode covers the Trump administration's rollout of reciprocal tariffs on 60 trading partners, followed by a 90-day pause after market turmoil, with health systems anticipating significant supply cost increases despite pharmaceuticals being initially exempted. The episode also discusses insights from a health strategy leadership forum, CMS's 5.1% Medicare Advantage rate increase for 2026, and UnitedHealth Group shareholders dropping a proposal for annual reporting on prior authorization practices.

Health systems are increasingly turning to virtual second opinions (VSOs) as a strategic lever to extend global reach, differentiate in competitive markets, and unlock long-term value. In this episode of The Strategy Catalyst Dispatch, we speak with Jarrett Fowler, Senior Director of Strategic and International Initiatives at NCHL and leader of USCIPP, a consortium supporting over 60 U.S. hospitals with international patient programs.

Anika Rasheed, Senior Analyst, and Jerome Pagani, Executive Director of Strategy Catalyst, unpack the insights Jarrett shares on the rise of international and domestic VSO programs. From identifying high-opportunity regions and specialties to navigating...

This episode covers the merger between hospital-at-home operators Dispatch Health and Medically Home, which combines health system and payer-oriented products but raises questions about the combined company's loyalties and financial sustainability. The episode also discusses Stanford Health's partnership with midwife provider ULA to expand into Connecticut, private equity consolidation in intellectual and developmental disability services, and OptumRx's shift to cost-based pharmacy reimbursement as a potential PR move amid regulatory pressure.

This episode covers insights from the Strategy Catalyst Summit (Feb 2025), covering direct-to-employer healthcare partnerships, Washington policy shifts under Trump, cybersecurity threats, and urgent care strategies for improving payer mix. The episode also discusses Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly's direct-to-consumer GLP-1 delivery platforms, conservative estimates of $1.1 trillion in Medicaid improper payments over the past decade, and UnitedHealth Group's legal victory against DOJ allegations of $2 billion in Medicare Advantage overpayments.

This episode covers the hospital-at-home market through interviews with leaders from Mass General Brigham, Mayo Clinic, Advocate Health, and Mount Sinai, highlighting how programs are diversifying revenue beyond Medicare and finding strategic value despite not reaching financial breakeven. The episode also covers Walgreens' potential private equity deal with Sycamore Partners, Teladoc's stock drop amid AI-generated therapy allegations, and FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson's decision to maintain stricter merger guidelines from the Biden era.

This episode covers breaking news about NIH's steep cuts to indirect cost rates for universities and medical centers, potentially creating $100+ million shortfalls for major research institutions, though a federal court has temporarily blocked the cuts nationwide. The episode also discusses Trump's 46 executive orders affecting healthcare through immigration enforcement at hospitals, visa restrictions impacting foreign nurse recruitment, and tariff proposals, plus General Catalyst's expansion beyond VC into healthcare AI consulting and Cigna's new initiative linking executive pay to customer satisfaction measures.

This episode covers key insights from the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, where non-profit health systems focused on operational efficiency, strategic growth in pediatrics and outpatient care, and AI investments, while enhanced security reflected the impact of the UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting. The episode also discusses rising bankruptcies among PE-owned healthcare companies, semaglutide being selected for Medicare drug price negotiations under the Trump administration, and new DEA rules that could challenge virtual-only telehealth models while benefiting hybrid care providers.

This episode covers insights from the 2024 Fall CFO Forum, where 41 health system CFOs discussed priorities now closely aligned with strategy leaders, including workforce strengthening, care delivery efficiencies, and improved access, along with debates over hard versus soft ROI measurements for AI deployments. The episode also covers Amazon One Medical facing a wrongful death lawsuit that could impact consumer perceptions of their healthcare brand, and includes 2025 healthcare predictions from industry leaders about increased M&A activity, rising healthcare misinformation challenges, and growth in tech-enabled benefits platforms.

This episode covers breaking news about Walgreens reportedly in talks to sell itself to private equity firm Sycamore Partners, which could provide needed cash but also create financial pressures leading to potential bankruptcy. The episode also discusses the Biden administration's proposed rule expanding Medicare and Medicaid coverage for GLP-1 weight loss drugs to 7.4 million additional beneficiaries at a $40 billion cost over 10 years, Trump's emerging healthcare team including RFK Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, and Bain & Company's prediction that non-traditional players could still capture 30% of the primary care market by 2030 despite retail health setbacks.

Chief Physician Executives (CPEs) are uniquely positioned to bridge clinical care and strategic goals. In our latest Heard Around the C-Suite episode, we highlight insights from The Health Management Academy’s Fall 2024 CPE Forum, where CPEs shared their approaches to technology adoption, innovative workforce models, cybersecurity, and leadership development. This episode brings strategy executives into the room with CPEs, equipping them with practical insights to enhance collaboration with clinical leaders, align organizational goals, and implement solutions that drive both financial and clinical ROI.

Join Jerome Pagani, Executive Director of Strategy Catalyst, and Anika Rasheed, Strategy Catalyst Analyst, as...

This episode covers the CSO Forum in Phoenix, where health system executives discussed revenue diversification and capital constraints, with key insights on prioritizing strategic initiatives and segmented care models. The episode also covers Forward's sudden shutdown despite raising $100 million due to its unsustainable $149 monthly subscription model, and the DOJ's lawsuit blocking UnitedHealth Group's $3.3 billion Amedisys acquisition over antitrust concerns.

In today’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, health system CEOs have dozens of priorities on their plate—often simultaneously. While strategy leaders often work closely with their own CEOs, we wanted to bring you in the room to hear what CEOs from around the country are talking about and how they are grappling with their top priorities. Our inaugural audio episode of Heard Around the C-Suite dives into these challenges, recapping key insights from recent CEO discussions at The Health Management Academy’s CEO Forum and Horizon 2030 CEO Summit.

Listen in as Jerome Pagani, Executive Director of Strate...

This episode covers breaking news about Republican gains in recent elections potentially giving the GOP unified federal government control, which could impact healthcare policy on site-neutral payments, ACA reform, and public health initiatives. The episode also discusses Elevance Health's $2.7 billion acquisition of home health company CareBridge, the Sanford Health and Marshfield Clinic merger creating a $10+ billion system, and insights from the Health 2024 conference including PBM business model criticism and new AI standardization efforts.

This episode features an interview with Cone Health CSO Chris Cornue about the system's decision to join Risant Health, driven by their long-term shift into value-based care and their pluralistic physician model that gained buy-in from both employed and affiliated providers across 14 specialties. The episode also covers resumed merger talks between Humana and Cigna that could create the second-largest payer, declining CMS Medicare Advantage star ratings affecting 62% of beneficiaries, and retail pharmacy struggles including CVS CEO Karen Lynch stepping down and Walgreens closing 1,200 stores while facing massive healthcare services losses.

This episode covers CVS's board conducting a strategic review and considering breaking up the company by separating its profitable insurance business from struggling retail pharmacy operations, potentially spinning off Oak Street with Aetna. The episode also discusses Mount Sinai's partnership with Noom's weight loss app for patient referrals, Dana-Farber's new pediatric cancer consortium focused on health equity interventions, FDA ending the shortage designation for Eli Lilly's GLP-1 drug which restricts compounding pharmacies, and a CMS study showing hospital-at-home programs were safe with lower mortality but higher readmissions.