Edge Perspectives

In this episode of Edge Perspectives, host Jayme Zage, PhD, is joined by Strategy Intelligence experts Rebecca Limestall and Sushma Narra to examine the growing crisis of vulnerable hospitals. They break down the distinction between distressed and vulnerable hospitals, reveal that nearly a quarter of U.S. hospitals fall into these categories and challenge the misconception that this is solely a ru...

In this episode of Edge Perspectives, host Tori Richie explores the growing capacity pressures straining health systems with Strategy Intelligence experts Josh Aaker, PhD, Jen Goff, and Emily Fitt. The conversation unpacks where capacity strain shows up most acutely, from emergency department demand and lengthening readmission stays to procedural backlogs in operating rooms and cath labs. Together...

In this episode of Edge Perspectives, host Tori Richie explores the growing capacity pressures straining health systems with Strategy Intelligence experts Josh Aaker, PhD, Jen Goff, and Emily Fitt. The conversation unpacks where capacity strain shows up most acutely, from emergency department demand and lengthening readmission stays to procedural backlogs in operating rooms and cath labs. Together...

In this episode of Edge Perspectives, host Jayme Zage, PhD, unpacks decision rights as the critical link between enterprise strategy and service line execution. Strategy Intelligence experts Catherine Maji and Rebecca Limestall, along with Chad Giese, former Intelligence Vice President, break down a five-step approach to bridging the strategy-to-execution gap. Together, they examine who gets to ma...

In this episode of Edge Perspectives, host Tori Richie is joined by Strategy Intelligence experts Tony Guth and Danni Park to unpack all things ambulatory dashboarding. They explore the shift from a hospital first to an ambulatory first mindset, repositioning ambulatory as a standalone growth and margin engine rather than just a front door to the hospital. The conversation introduces a practical f...

In this episode of Edge Perspectives, host Tori Richie is joined by Kelly Feldman, Principal; Kelsey Markovich, Associate Principal; and Marijana Karac, Associate Principal, from the Vizient Data & Analytics Services team to unpack the full dashboard development journey for health systems. Drawing on insights from a recent Vizient Executive Strategy Summit workshop, the conversation explores h...

In this episode of Edge Perspectives, host Tori Richie and Strategy Intelligence experts Emily Fitt, Dionne Dela Cruz, and Hailey Mulliner explore how consumer expectations are transforming healthcare demand. The conversation unpacks direct to consumer platforms, the "invisible market" of cash-based services, and the "Amazon culture" reshaping patient access across primary care, women's health, an...

In this episode of Edge Perspectives, host Trevor DaRin is joined by Strategy Intelligence expert Mahaya Walker, Senior Director, to share research on clinically integrated networks (CINs). Drawing from interviews with some of the country's most successful networks, they break down what they learned about governance, physician alignment, accountability mechanisms, and the variety in how CINs opera...

In this episode of Edge Perspectives, host Tori Richie is joined by Strategy Intelligence expert Madeleine McDowell, MD, FAAP, to unpack the shifting children's healthcare landscape. Drawing on insights from the children's landscape panel at the recent Vizient Executive Strategy Summit, they explore declining pediatric inpatient volumes, rising patient acuity, and the far-reaching effects of birth...

In this episode of Edge Perspectives, host Trevor DaRin is joined by colleague Bill Woodson, Sr. Principal, and special guest Steven Chew, SVP of Service Lines at Tampa General Hospital, to explore how one of the nation's leading academic medical centers built and scaled a service line organization unlike any other. Steven shares the journey from seven service lines in 2017 to 30 today, the accoun...

On this episode of Edge Perspectives, host Tori Richie, Associate Principal, sits down with Sushma Narra, Senior Associate, and Brian Esser, VP, Intelligence, to unpack the fourth iteration of the Vizient Economic Index. They reveal why strategy must be local, how labor availability now rivals population growth, and what a flatter, shrinking market map demands of revenue quality, cost control, and...

Fresh off the Vizient Executive Strategy Summit, host Tori Richie sits down with Bill Woodson, Sr Principal, and Brianna Motley, VP, Intelligence Strategy and Delivery, to debrief the conversations that defined this year's event. From a pervasive sense of uncertainty and existential threat to a shared bias toward action, the trio unpacks how health systems are rethinking financial foundations, amb...

Edge Perspectives host Jayme Zage, PhD, sits down with Strategy Intelligence experts Megan LaRose and Jen Goff to discuss the full lifecycle of strategic partnerships in healthcare. They break down what separates intensive strategic partnerships from transactional relationships, how data drives smarter decisions at every phase, and why governance, cultural alignment, and shared KPIs determine long...

In this episode of Edge Perspectives, host Trevor DaRin is joined by Strategy Intelligence experts Joshua Aaker, Jenifer Sarno, and Emily Fitt to tackle one of healthcare's most urgent operational challenges: chronic disease management. Drawing on Vizient data and real-world care redesign models, the experts connect effective chronic care strategy directly to capacity, readmissions, and financial...

In this episode of Edge Perspectives, host Trevor DaRin is joined by Justin Cassidy, PhD, Strategy Intelligence expert at Vizient, to explore how academic medical centers are positioning themselves for strategic growth. Drawing on Vizient's latest forecasting, Justin breaks down the acuity-based volume shifts reshaping AMC strategy — and why capacity management, smart backfill decisions, and acces...

In this episode of Edge Perspectives, host Jayme Zage, PhD, is joined by Strategy Intelligence experts Janelle Kwan, Associate Principal; Mahaya Walker, Senior Director; and Jen Goff, Intelligence Director, to discuss the latest payment updates shaping healthcare. They explore what's accelerating the shift to alternative payment models, how trends differ across payer segments, and what health syst...

In this episode of Edge Perspectives (that’s right new name, new logo, new brand!), host Trevor DaRin is joined by Strategy Intelligence experts Tori Richie, Associate Principal, and Karyl Kopaskie, PhD, Principal, to unpack the latest Impact of Change® Forecast and the forces shaping healthcare demand over the next decade. Together, they explore the shift from inpatient to ambulatory care, the gr...

In this episode of Sg2 Perspectives, host Trevor DaRin is joined by Sg2 experts Brian Esser and Jayme Zage, PhD, for a discussion of recent health care headlines and what they may signal for health systems. The conversation explores affordability and AI, hospital rankings, Medicare Advantage tensions, workforce pressures, and GoodRx’s subscription strategy. Together, they separate signal from nois...

In this episode of Sg2 Perspectives, host Trevor DaRin is joined by Sg2 expert Tony Guth to explore academic ambulatory surgery center (ASC) strategy. They discuss why academic medical centers face unique hurdles as surgical cases shift away from the hospital, including faculty practice dynamics, partnership apprehension and the need to create capacity for higher-acuity care. The conversation also...

In this episode of Sg2 Perspectives, host Jayme Zage, PhD, is joined by Sg2 Senior Intelligence Director Andrew Rebhan to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the health care workforce. Together, they explore the evolving relationship between human and AI capabilities, from creativity and empathy to judgment, accountability and leadership. The conversation also examines emergin...

In this episode of Sg2 Perspectives, host Jayme Zage, PhD, is joined by Donnelle Jageman and Rachael Zirkelbach to explore what it takes to achieve service line success in today’s rapidly evolving health care environment. The discussion examines how leading health systems are rethinking service line structures, leadership models, strategy, communication and performance measurement to drive growth...

In this episode of Sg2 Perspectives, host Trevor DaRin is joined by Sg2 experts Rebecca Limestall, Jayme Zage, PhD, and Anthony Guth to debrief insights from a recent Vizient® member network meeting focused on access and capacity. They discuss what health care leaders are prioritizing now, from internal alignment and value-based care to ambulatory strategy, philanthropy and care at home.    We are...

In this episode of Sg2 Perspectives, host Trevor DaRin is joined by Sg2 experts Rebecca Limestall and Brian Esser to unpack the growing urgency health systems are facing as financial pressure, payer mix shifts and margin challenges accelerate. Drawing on stories from the field and conversations with health system leaders across the country, they explore why long-term strategy and short-term priori...

Host Trevor DaRin is joined by Sg2 experts Ivy Zhu and Tori Richie to explore the evolving role of freestanding EDs, hybrid ED–urgent care models and micro hospitals in health system strategy. Together, they discuss how these sites can improve access, relieve pressure on traditional EDs and support more efficient care delivery—when deployed with clear intent. The conversation also looks ahead to h...

In this episode of Sg2 Perspectives, Jayme Zage, PhD is joined by Erika Johnson, Victoria Beal and Vernon Herbener of the Vizient Research Institute to explore the growing access challenges facing health care systems. Drawing on new research, they examine how aging populations and patients with multiple chronic conditions are driving disproportionately high utilization and care fragmentation. Toge...