Rural Spotlight

March 24, 2025

Article: 25 Payer Execs Weigh in on Healthcare’s Needed Conversations

The healthcare industry needs to have more conversations about patient experience, AI and preventive care, according to payer executives.

Becker’s connected with 25 leaders to learn more about what they say is underdiscussed in healthcare.

Question: What is not being talked about enough in healthcare?

• David Agler, MD. Chief Medical Officer at First Choice Health:

We must shift our focus from simply delivering care to truly understanding the patient’s experience within the healthcare system. This means acknowledging the overwhelming complexity of navigating appointments, insurance, and billing, which often leaves patients feeling lost and frustrated. We need to address the systemic barriers, like long wait times and physician shortages that lead to patient disengagement and reliance on costly emergency care. Ultimately, a patient-centered approach demands transparency in costs, simplified processes and a genuine commitment to easing the burden of accessing necessary medical services. It’s time to prioritize the human element, ensuring that every individual feels supported and empowered throughout their healthcare journey.

• Margaret Anderson. Interim President, Senior Vice President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Health Alliance Plan:

Patient choice isn’t one size fits all. What matters most to one person may be different for another. That’s why we offer a range of options – PPOs for broad access, HMOs for coordinated care and cost savings, and high-performing networks that provide great value. As we continue to grow statewide, our focus remains on ensuring members have the flexibility to choose the care model that works best for them, with access to high-quality providers when and where they need it.

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March 24, 2025

Article: Healthcare Payments Report: Why Most Patients Aren’t Satisfied with Financial Communication + More

Nearly 60% of patients are less than satisfied with their providers’ communication on healthcare costs. Confusing bills, unexpected charges, and a lack of transparency make it difficult for them to manage their medical expenses. In today’s competitive healthcare landscape, financial transparency isn’t just a courtesy – it’s a necessity.

This Healthcare Payments Insights Report uncovers the latest trends and consumer preferences, as well as emerging challenges and opportunities in healthcare payments.

Key learnings include:

• Current patient experience trends related to healthcare costs,
• Current provider experience trends and evolving payment channels, and
• Opportunities for improvement and innovation in healthcare payments.

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March 24, 2025

Article: Hackers Use ChatGPT to Target Healthcare

Health systems should be on the lookout for a ChatGPT vulnerability hackers are using to target industries including healthcare, the American Hospital Association warns.

Cybersecurity firm Veriti reported March 12 that a server-side request forgery in ChatGPT has been used in more than 10,000 cyberattack attempts worldwide, according to the March 18 AHA article. The National Institute of Standards and Technology scores the vulnerability as “medium risk.”

“This could allow an attacker to steal sensitive data or impact the availability of the AI tool,” said Scott Gee, AHA deputy national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, in the article. “This highlights the importance of integrating patch management into a comprehensive governance plan for AI when it is implemented in a hospital environment.”

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March 24, 2025

Article: The Biggest Lessons of the Last 12 months, according to 36 C-suite Execs

Becker’s asked C-suite executives from hospitals and health systems across the U.S. to share their biggest lesson from the past year.

Question: What is the biggest lesson you learned in the last year, and why?

• Craig Albanese, MD, MBA. CEO of Duke University Health System:

Innovation isn’t just about adopting new technology – it’s about transforming the way we think AND ultimately how we do our work in servitude to those who come to us for hope, health and healing. At Duke Health, we’re focused on embracing and integrating AI, digital health, and new care models to improve patient outcomes and team member experience. Change is constant in healthcare, and a commitment to purposeful innovation, paired with a growth mindset, keeps us ahead in delivering our missions of world-class clinical care, research, education, and community health.

• Erik Wexler. CEO of Providence (Rendon, Wash.):

What’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned over the last year? When leaders get promoted from within, it’s easy to assume you know everything there is to know about the organization. Last year, as I was preparing for my new role at Providence, I didn’t want to make any assumptions. Instead, I wanted to approach it with curiosity and hear directly from our caregivers, medical staff, leaders, and board members in the field. Over the course of three months, I met with more than 4,000 people from across our seven states, from medical staff members and frontline caregivers to board members and administrators. It gave me valuable perspective and helped populate our new strategic plan for 2030. I am better prepared now as CEO, and as I have during my leadership journey, I will continue to dialogue and engage with those who bring our mission to life.

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March 24, 2025

Article: Health System C-Suites Ready to Play Offense

Hospital margins remain tight and while they’re growing, around 37% of hospitals are still losing money, according to Kaufman Hall.

The persistent financial challenges have sparked a variety of initiatives in the last few years to find cost savings and efficiencies while eliminating waste and adding revenue streams. Health systems have been playing defense, reacting to economic challenges, inflation, staffing shortages and new regulations in real time. For some health systems, that has meant workforce reductions, cutting services, severing ties with insurers and consolidation.

Now, it’s time to play offense.

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned in the past year is that financial strength and strategic growth start with empathy and open-minded leadership,” said Sham Firdausi, CFO of ScionHealth – Watertown Regional in Louisville, Ky. “Playing defense isn’t sustainable and cost-cutting alone won’t secure our future. Instead, we’ve focused on thoughtful investments that improve patient care, support our workforce and drive long-term stability.”

ScionHealth is leveraging technology to ease staff burdens and restructuring service lines to meet the needs of their community instead of emphasizing cuts. Mr. Firdausi said every decision his team makes must have clinical and financial value. He engages physicians and frontline staff as well as financial leaders in decision-making to forge strategic alignment and move from strategy to execution.

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