The Strategy Catalyst Dispatch
The Strategy Catalyst Dispatch brings healthcare strategy professionals into the room with leading health system executives to explore how innovation, clinical leadership, and enterprise strategy intersect. Designed for strategy executives, physician leaders, and healthcare innovators, the podcast offers actionable takeaways to help organizations drive both clinical and financial impact.
The Strategy Catalyst Dispatch
The Strategist in Brief: December 11, 2025
This week's edition recaps our favorite intel and insights from the Fall 2025 CSO Forum held in San Diego. We also take a look at the new ACCESS model unveiled by CMS with outcomes-based payments.
This is the strategist in brief for December 11th, 2025. This week's edition recaps some of our favorite intel and insights from the fall 2025 CSO Forum held in Carlsbad, California last month. The state of play in Washington was a top topic of conversation, and CSOs debated the extent to which they can influence the administration and turn the current moment of policy disruption into an opportunity. Traditional advocacy groups like the American Hospital Association and American Medical Association have seen their influence reduced under the current administration, but participants discussed other ways to provide input on policymaking. CSOs also discussed how they're adapting strategic planning cycles in light of recent headwinds and market shifts, like Medicaid cuts and the shift towards outpatient care, banner Health has teamed up with the risk management platform one m. To quantify potential financial impacts from hundreds of potential policy and market risks, including emergencies like hurricanes and cyber attacks, health system. Strategic responses to sharp finances include outpatient facility growth, capacity and length of stay optimization, provider owned health plan integration and AI deployment. Other sessions focused on how partnerships can be used as a strategic lever. Leaders from Mass General Brigham and the Ohio State University of Wexner Medical Center discussed how their respective JVs with durable medical equipment supplier daco unlock synergies with care delivery that enabled faster discharges and higher quality care. Moving on to other news. CMS unveiled a new voluntary payment model in original Medicare that will reward providers for achieving specific outcomes while managing conditions like high blood pressure and depression. The new model is another instance of the administration piloting new approaches to traditional Medicare that mirror development in Medicare advantage and value-based care more broadly. This model is voluntary for now, but it could be a preview of future mandatory changes to the program. Now our final piece of news, Humana is suing ChenMed for breach of contract related to the company's Gen Care senior clinic jv. The controversy highlights how ChenMed status as a family owned business potentially leaves it reliant on payer partnerships for growth capital. That concludes this week's edition. Be sure to check out the full version on the web@hmacademy.com. Thanks for listening.