top of page
OPTICS - updated logo 3.15.25-03 (1).png

Inside the Head of a Healthcare CEO

  • Writer: David Brake and Kim Urbanek
    David Brake and Kim Urbanek
  • Aug 8
  • 5 min read

Updated: Aug 13

What’s top-of-mind for America’s healthcare CEOs? In an effort to answer that question, we analyzed several annual surveys from organizations that survey these leaders, including the American College of Healthcare Executives, Deloitte, and Philips. A clear picture emerges of an industry leadership grappling with unprecedented challenges while striving to deliver quality care in an increasingly complex environment.


ree

The Great Priority Shift: When People Became Problem Number One


For 16 consecutive years, financial challenges topped the list of hospital CEO concerns. Then came 2021, and everything changed. Workforce challenges surged to the number one spot, where they've remained for three straight years. In 2024, these two critical issues finally tied for the top position in the American College of Healthcare Executives' annual survey.


This shift represents more than just a statistical fluctuation—it signals a fundamental transformation in how healthcare leaders view their operational landscape. The workforce crisis isn't just about empty positions; it's about burnout, retention, mental wellness, and the safety of the people who form the backbone of healthcare delivery.


The Human Cost of Healthcare Operations


The scope of workforce challenges facing healthcare CEOs is staggering. According to the Philips Future Health Index, which surveyed 3,000 healthcare leaders across 14 countries, two-thirds report increased burnout, stress, and mental health issues among their staff. More than three-quarters are dealing with care delays due to staffing shortages, creating a cascading effect of longer wait times, delayed procedures, and reduced access to preventive care.


This isn't merely an operational headache—it's a moral imperative that weighs heavily on healthcare leaders. As one CEO noted in the surveys, the challenge isn't just about filling positions; it's about creating safe and sustainable work environments where healthcare professionals can thrive while delivering exceptional patient care.


The Financial Tightrope Walk


While workforce challenges may have claimed the top spot, financial pressures remain an ever-present concern. Healthcare costs are projected to rise 7-8% in 2025, according to a PwC analysis, driven by inflationary pressures, prescription drug costs, and increased utilization for behavioral health services. Hospital margins, which averaged 7% in 2019, plummeted to just 2.1% in 2024.


Yet remarkably, 65% of healthcare executives in Deloitte's 2025 outlook survey identified "developing growth strategies to increase revenue" as their top priority. This reveals a crucial mindset shift: rather than simply cutting costs, today's healthcare CEOs are focused on strategic growth and innovation as pathways to financial sustainability.


The AI Revolution: Optimism Meets Reality


Perhaps no topic generates more excitement—and anxiety—among healthcare CEOs than artificial intelligence. More than half of health system executives now consider AI an immediate priority, with 73% increasing their investments in the technology. The optimism is palpable: nearly 60% of senior executives believe AI will improve patient experiences and staff efficiency within the next two years.

 

However, there's a notable gap between enthusiasm and implementation. While 49% of healthcare CIOs see generative AI as capable of delivering 2x return on investment, only 13% have established implementation plans. The barriers are significant: data infrastructure concerns, cybersecurity risks, compliance challenges, and the need for responsible AI governance frameworks.


The Technology Transformation Imperative


Beyond AI, healthcare CEOs are investing heavily across the technology spectrum. The Sage Growth Partners survey found that 43% plan to increase capital investments, with electronic medical record optimization (20%), artificial intelligence (15%), and virtual monitoring (13%) leading the way.


This technology focus isn't just about efficiency—it's about survival. As one survey respondent noted, "For providers, AI is not a nice to have. They are saying, 'AI is essential for us to continue to operate in our healthcare system."


Looking Forward: Strategic Consolidation and Innovation


Despite the challenges, healthcare CEOs remain surprisingly optimistic about the future. An overwhelming 98% of surveyed health CEOs expect to pursue mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, or strategic alliances within the next 12 months. 


The path forward requires healthcare leaders to balance multiple, often competing priorities: maintaining financial viability while investing in workforce safety and wellness, retention, and embracing technological innovation. 


The CEO Mindset: Resilience Through Transformation


What emerges from these surveys is a portrait of healthcare CEOs who are neither paralyzed by challenges nor unrealistically optimistic about quick fixes. Instead, they're pragmatic leaders focused on fundamental transformation—of their workforce models and work environments, financial strategies, and technological capabilities.


The healthcare CEOs of today aren't just managing hospitals and health systems; they're architecting the future of the healthcare ecosystem. Their priorities reflect not just the immediate pressures of their organizations, but their commitment to creating safe, sustainable, technology-enabled, people-centered healthcare systems that can meet the evolving needs of the communities they serve.


In the end, going inside the head of a healthcare CEO reveals a complex calculus of human needs, financial realities, and technological possibilities—all balanced against the fundamental mission of healing and care that brought them to healthcare in the first place.


ree

About David Brake

DAVID is the Co-founder and CEO of OPTICS for Healthcare, an AI-first company dedicated to creating safer healthcare environments for staff, patients, and the public. The OPTICS platform was designed to revolutionize how healthcare organizations approach facility assessments, enabling them to conduct comprehensive current-state evaluations, generate detailed gap analyses, and develop customized workplace violence policies and action-specific operational playbooks.



ree

About Kim Urbanek

KIM is a leading Workplace Violence Prevention expert with over 26 years of healthcare, security, and emergency management  experience. Kim is a nationally sought-after speaker, a #1 best-selling author, and a recognized healthcare consultant. Kim is the Co-founder and Chief of Innovation and Practice of OPTICS for Healthcare, an AI driven workplace violence risk assessment and mitigation tool, designed to reduce violence and improve operations at healthcare organizations. 




References

American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE)

Deloitte Health Care Outlook Surveys

Sage Growth Partners

Philips Future Health Index

PwC Healthcare Research

EY Healthcare Surveys

Define Ventures

McKinsey Healthcare Research

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page