Joel Kanter

expert panel

When healthcare CEOs face financial pressure, the traditional playbook often points to the same solutions: reduce costs, slow spending and protect margins. But in an industry where every operational decision can affect a patient’s experience, a clinician’s workload or a community’s access to care, the most obvious financial moves are not always the most strategic ones.Members of the Senior Executive Healthcare Think Tank bring expertise across patient experience, workforce strategy, healthcare technology, quality, policy and organizational transformation. They believe the first step for CEOs facing financial pressure is not simply deciding what to eliminate, but determining where the organization can operate smarter, create more value and strengthen long-term resilience.Their perspectives come at a time when healthcare organizations continue to face mounting financial challenges. The American Hospital Association’s 2025 Cost of Caring report highlights how hospitals and health systems are navigating persistent cost growth, workforce shortages, supply chain pressures and reimbursement challenges that are reshaping how leaders approach long-term sustainability.In this article, Think Tank members outline the strategic decisions they would prioritize if advising a healthcare CEO on finances today—and how to uphold the same standard of care no matter the choices made.