As I write these words in January 2025, I am reflecting on the fact that five years ago, the world was in the opening days of the worst pandemic we had seen in a century. We should never forget the heroic acts of physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, and leaders throughout the healthcare system who responded to this challenge with unprecedented courage, determination, strength, and agility.
It is not an overstatement, I believe, to state that the healthcare industry has changed irrevocably in those five years, for both better and worse.
- While many organizations survived the financial pressures, a notable number of others did not, leaving many patients and communities without access to essential services.
- Horizontal and vertical integration have fundamentally reshaped industry dynamics.
- AI and other digital tools have both empowered and confused consumers.
- Rapid proliferation of misinformation has eroded many Americans' trust in their healthcare system, among other consequences.
As a result of these and other changes, we're having very different conversations with our clients about strategy than we were half a decade ago.
From Survival to Strategy
Leaders from our Strategy and Enterprise Growth practice have compiled a synthesis of our best thinking on how strategy in healthcare has evolved, informed by hundreds of conversations with leaders from across the industry. One conclusion: differentiating your organization is both more difficult and more essential today than it has been at any time in our more than 50 years in service to you.
I hope you find the attached summary insightful, and I welcome the opportunity to further the dialogue on how we can best support you.
