Radio Advisory

In Part 1 of Radio Advisory’s What CEOs need to know in 2026 series, we explored how responsibility for protecting access is diffusing as the safety net continues to fray. But that’s only one way control over healthcare delivery is shifting. In Part 2, we turn to other subtle — but significant — ways power is moving away from traditional centers of influence.

As utilization and costs rise, purchasers are reaching the limits of their traditional approaches to spend management. In 2026, new players are stepping in as purchasers seek specialized solutions for specific treatments and conditions, increasingly delegating outcomes management to third party vendors. At the same time, a growing ecosystem of advisors and external voices is reshaping the options available to patients and clinicians alike.

In this episode, hosts Rachel (Rae) Woods and Abby Burns are joined once again by Advisory Board experts Natalie Trebes and Max Hakanson. Together, they break down how the diffusion of ownership over rising healthcare costs — and the expanding influence of new players on clinical decisionmakers — are redefining the power dynamics every healthcare leader must navigate.

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We’re here to help:

Explore Advisory Board's 12 Things CEOs Need to Know in 2026 for strategies to help your organization thrive.

281: What CEOs need to know in 2026 (Part 1)

Read Advisory Board’s 2026 research agenda

The State of the Healthcare Industry in 2026

3 trends shaping healthcare in 2026 (and how to respond)

Healthcare Policy Updates Timeline

280: The questions Advisory Board is asking in 2026

[Webinar] State of the Industry: Managing spend amid rising costs

[Webinar] State of the Industry: Shaping care decisions amid diffusing influence

We want to hear from you. What are your challenges? Where are you seeing opportunities? Email us at [email protected]

Explore Advisory Board's 12 Things CEOs Need to Know in 2026 for strategies to help your organization thrive. Not a member? Access a complimentary excerpt today.

A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.

In 2026, traditional healthcare leaders are facing nontraditional power dynamics. That’s why we’re kicking off the new year with a two-part series focused on the trends and challenges CEOs must be prepared to navigate in the year ahead.

In Part 1, hosts Rachel (Rae) Woods and Abby Burns sit down with Advisory Board experts Natalie Trebes and Max Hakanson to unpack how the shrinking safety net is reshaping access to care – and why every CEO needs to prepare for the ripple effects.

Coming next week: In part two of our What CEOs Need to Know in 2026 series, we’ll take a closer look at the spillover effects resulting from the diffusion of power and control.

Be sure to subscribe to Radio Advisory so that you never miss an episode!

We’re here to help:

12 things CEOs need to know in 2026

Read Advisory Board’s 2026 research agenda

The State of the Healthcare Industry in 2026

3 trends shaping healthcare in 2026 (and how to respond)

Healthcare Policy Updates Timeline

Ep. 280: The questions Advisory Board is asking in 2026

We want to hear from you. What are your challenges? Where are you seeing opportunities? Email us at [email protected]

Learn about Advisory Board Research Membership.

A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.

In 2026, Radio Advisory is diving into the biggest questions shaping the future of healthcare. We aren’t just here to talk about challenges, we’re here to help you determine your next best action. Our first episode of the year drops Tuesday, January 13. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

We want to hear from you. What do you want to hear about in 2026? Where are you seeing opportunities or facing challenges you think we should explore? Email us at [email protected]

We’re here to help:

Read Advisory Board’s 2026 research agenda

State of the Industry: Protecting access amid funding cuts

State of the Industry: Managing spend amid rising costs

Advisory Board is here to do two things: tackle the toughest questions keeping healthcare leaders up at night, and push leaders' thinking on the questions they aren’t asking – but should be. In 2025, we navigated a landscape of major shifts, from policy changes, the growing presence of AI, drug innovations, and more. As we head into 2026, we are keeping that momentum going to deliver the insights you need to stay ahead.

That’s why this week, hosts Rachel (Rae) Woods and Abby Burns pass the microphone to six Advisory Board researchers to preview their top questions and topics on our research agenda for the new year. They’ll unpack what they’re researching, why it matters, and why these topics deserve your attention.

[1:30] Ty Aderhold on cutting through the AI hype

[4:15] Monica Westhead on margin management and hospital efficiency

[7:08] Sally Kim on cutting costs and scaling health plan operations

[9:45] Sebastian Beckmann on prioritizing sustainable growth through smarter forecasting and analytics

[14:08] Kaci Plattenburg on rethinking service line growth strategies

[16:27] Chloe Bakst on navigating the pharmacy policy shakeup

We’re here to help:

Read Advisory Board’s 2026 research agenda

The state of the industry: Key insights for 2026

249: What is 340B, and why is it in the hot seat

267: Care variation reduction: A $100B opportunity

What’s driving — or slowing — service line growth?

270: Service line snapshot: What every health leader needs to know

276: The AI gold rush is changing how humans (and clinicians) make decisions

[Tools] Use Advisory Board tools to inform your strategy for growth, cost control, and more.

We want to hear from you. What are your challenges? Where are you seeing opportunities? Email us at [email protected]

Learn about Advisory Board Research Membership.

How the collaborative care model improves access to behavioral healthcare

How We Approach Behavioral Health Integration | evolvedMD

A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.

The national spotlight on food and chronic disease management is intensifying, especially given the momentum of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement. This presents an opportunity to finally move the needle on incorporating healthy food and nutrition into care delivery — but our traditional healthcare system is not set up to do this well, or at scale. Healthcare leaders need to learn from the experts who have been doing this work successfully in their communities.

That’s why this week, live from Advisory Board’s Nashville Summit, host Abby Burns speaks with Tomi Ogundimu, Chair of the Board of DC Greens, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., and Angela Fitch, MD, Cofounder and Chief Medical Officer of Knownwell, a comprehensive primary care and metabolic health clinic. Our guests will share what it looks like to put the principles of “food as medicine” into practice and how the traditional delivery system can adapt to help realize these principles at scale.

We’re here to help:

DC Greens – Healthy food is a human right.

knownwell, weight-inclusive healthcare for all

Provider-led strategies to address food insecurity

3 keys to effective partnerships with community-based organizations

3 Imperatives for Investing in Successful Community Partnerships

The state of the industry: Key insights for 2026

A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.