Radio Advisory

In this special episode of Radio Advisory, recorded at 9:30 a.m. ET on Oct. 1, 2025, host Rae Woods walks through two major healthcare policy disruptions: the federal government shutdown and the Rural Health Transformation Program.

Rae explains the immediate implications for care delivery and funding as Medicare telehealth and Hospital-at-Home waivers expire and debates over ACA tax credits and Medicaid work requirements stall in C...

For years, health systems have approached ambulatory care as a pipeline for inpatient volumes. But today’s health care environment calls for a new mindset—one that prioritizes ambulatory capabilities designed to drive enterprise-wide success.

Challenging this longstanding approach is just the first step.

In this episode, host Rachel (Rae) Woods welcomes Advisory Board experts Nick Hula and Lauren Woodrow to explore why the ambulato...

Health systems know they need to pull out all the stops when it comes to improving operational efficiency, given their financial climate. That doesn’t necessarily mean they need entirely new strategies — but they do need to make the most of the tried-and-true tactics.

Care variation reduction (CVR) has been part of the operational excellence playbook for years. The opportunity for efficiency and cost savings through CVR is massive—...

Making the most of the electronic health record (EHR) is not just a win for the CIO—it’s a non-negotiable for sustaining your business, supporting your workforce and serving your patients effectively.

The EHR is a mainstay of our digital healthcare infrastructure. It’s a massive ongoing investment with the potential for enormous operational and strategic returns. But the fact is, most organizations are not reaping the kinds of retu...

In this special episode of Radio Advisory, recorded on September 10th, 2025, host Rae Woods explains how recent federal actions led by HHS Secretary RFK Jr. are shaping vaccine policy and public health infrastructure.

As she unpacks what’s happened so far, Rae outlines the implications for vaccine access, public trust, and hospital readiness. She also offers clear guidance to health leaders: clarify your communication with staff an...

In the past several months, the Trump administration has frozen, cancelled, or rescinded millions—even billions—of dollars in federal funding for scientific and clinical research. This is funding that flows directly from bodies like the NIH to universities, academic medical centers, and others to facilitate basic science research, translational research, public health initiatives, and more.

Frankly, many organizations did not see t...

This episode originally aired on April 15, 2025.

In times of uncertainty, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by what’s out of your control. That’s why over the next few weeks we’re revisiting three powerful conversations that remind us where to focus: on operational excellence, on what is within your control, and on the urgency to act now. Whether you're navigating workforce challenges, financial pressures, or strategic pivots, these ep...

(This episode originally aired on February 25, 2025.)

In times of uncertainty, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by what’s out of your control. That’s why over the next few weeks we’re revisiting three powerful conversations that remind us where to focus: on operational excellence, on what is within your control, and on the urgency to act now. Whether you're navigating workforce challenges, financial pressures, or strategic pivots, the...

(This episode originally aired on October 1, 2024.)

In times of uncertainty, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by what’s out of your control. That’s why over the next few weeks we’re revisiting three powerful conversations that remind us where to focus: on operational excellence, on what is within your control, and on the urgency to act now. Whether you're navigating workforce challenges, financial pressures, or strategic pivots, these...

Healthcare organizations have always faced operational, financial, and strategic pressures—but in 2025, those challenges are intensifying. A wave of current and anticipated policy changes is reshaping the industry, leaving leaders to navigate an increasingly complex and uncertain landscape.

To better understand how executives are preparing for what’s ahead, Advisory Board held more than 130 conversations through one-on-one calls, s...

For health system leaders, managing the cost of purchased goods is no longer just a budgeting exercise—it’s a strategic necessity. As margins tighten and supply chain disruptions persist, health systems are rethinking everything from vendor relationships to value analysis. In this episode of Radio Advisory, host Rachel (Rae) Woods welcomes Advisory Board expert Nick Hula to unpack the findings of the 2025 Health System Purchasing S...

For health care purchasers, women’s health is no longer a niche offering—it’s a strategic imperative. In this episode of Radio Advisory, host Rachel (Rae) Woods welcomes Dr. Neel Shah, Chief Medical Officer at Maven Clinic—the world’s largest virtual clinic for women’s and family health—to unpack the clinical, financial, and operational benefits of investing in holistic women’s health.

As costs rise, employee expectations evolve, a...

To make progress on delivering behavioral healthcare at scale, we have to hold up examples of what progress looks like—and unpack how we achieve it. That was the goal of our live panel discussion at the Advisory Board Summit in Washington, D.C., moderated by Radio Advisory co-host Abby Burns.

In today’s episode of Radio Advisory, hear Abby’s conversation with three provider leaders—Dr. Tristan Gorrindo, former Chief Medical Officer...

Treatments like cell and gene therapies (CGTs) and GLP-1s are transforming care, but with double-digit growth in drug spend year over year, this transformation comes with an unsustainable price tag. And it’s putting pressure on every part of the healthcare ecosystem, from patients and providers to employers and health plans.

The strategies that purchasers have used to manage drug spend in the past are no longer getting the job done...

On July 4th, 2025, President Donald Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into law. In this “minisode,” host Rachel (Rae) Woods unpacks the sweeping implications of the most significant healthcare legislation since the Affordable Care Act.

From enhanced subsidies expiring to major cuts to Medicaid and ACA marketplace coverage on the horizon, Rae explores what this legislation means for providers, payers, and the broader hea...

In this special live episode from the 2025 Advisory Board Summit, host Rachel (Rae) Woods sits down with a leader well-versed in bold transformation: Paul Markovich. After more than a decade as President and CEO of Blue Shield of California, Paul now leads Ascendiun—a new nonprofit parent company that includes Blue Shield of California, its clinical services firm Altais, and the newly launched health services business, Stellarus.

T...

Healthcare executives are closely watching legislative activity in Congress—anticipating shifts in government-funded insurance, new economic headwinds, and regulatory changes. And while change is certainly coming, what remains uncertain is how these forces will shape market dynamics and organizational finances.

To help hospitals and health systems prepare, Advisory Board’s quantitative experts developed an impact estimator to size ...

When experts warn that the economy could be headed for a recession, people working across different corners of the economy get nervous. People working in healthcare, maybe less so. That’s because of a longstanding idea that healthcare is impervious to recession. Okay, maybe that’s overstating it. Healthcare is less susceptible than other industries. But did this notion hold up during the pandemic? During the Great Recession? More i...

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to generate excitement across healthcare, promising to reduce clinician burnout, fuel innovation, and ease financial pressures. But despite the hype, AI is far from a “plug-and-play” solution—and simply investing in AI won’t guarantee success.

This week, host Rachel (Rae) Woods is joined by Advisory Board AI expert Ty Aderhold to explore what it really takes to see value from AI in healthcare....