American College of Healthcare Executives

10/14/2026

What happens when the tools we have come to depend on suddenly cease to work?

Cyber incidents and periods of so-called “digital darkness” are no longer simply IT issues. Disruptions to vital systems, including loss of access to essential patient information and, in some cases, life-sustaining equipment, are testing our capacity to consistently deliver the safe, high-quality care patients depend on. Whether caused by natural disasters, third-party failures, cyber-terrorism—or all of these at once—such outages pose a clear and growing risk to hospitals and healthcare organizations worldwide.

The FBI, working with the American Hospital Association to understand the impact of cyberattacks against healthcare, now characterizes any cyberattack that disrupts or delays critical patient care, such as ransomware, as a “threat-to-life crime.”

Through analysis of the average recovery time from these attacks, the AHA now recommends hospitals and health systems be prepared to sustain safe, high-quality care for at least 30 days without the availability of technologies we normally use. They note that many organizations today are, at best, equipped to withstand 72 to 96 hours of digital darkness.

While some causes of digital darkness may be beyond our control, how we prepare for and respond to these cyber events is not.

Read the full article by Jonathan Perlin MD, PhD, in Healthcare Executive magazine.

10/13/2026

How can we move faster without making staff feel like the ground is shifting?

Boykin Robinson, MD, MBA, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer at Core Clinical Partners, explains balancing agility with stability.

He covers schedule optimization versus clinician consistency, the harm of unexplained change, the importance of clear communication and decision rhythms, and how psychological safety and structured disagreement let teams innovate without burnout.

Full episode of Healthcare Executive podcast here: https://bit.ly/4y8Wl5W

10/13/2026

What a group! 🎉

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Washington, D.C., for our session offered in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering.

We have an amazing cohort of leaders who participated in this week's in-depth learning sessions and spent their time turning AI ambition into practical plans for measurable, system-wide value.

Thank you to all who participated for making this a great session. Looking forward to day two! 👏

10/12/2026

Faced with the challenges of payer pressure, margin compression, and patient preferences for procedures away from acute care facilities, healthcare leaders are prioritizing how to better leverage and modernize their outpatient strategy.

Outpatient surgical expansion is no longer merely a site-of-care shift—it is a critical lever for driving throughput, protecting financial health and maintaining long-term market competitiveness.

Join Todd Currier, CPA, CASC, FACMPE, for actionable insights on navigating capital acquisition, operational budgets and reimbursement dynamics to establish strong program return on investment while ensuring the standard of care rivals traditional hospital settings.

Thank you to Intuitive, an ACHE Premier Corporate Partner, for making this session possible.

Learn more and register here: https://bit.ly/4e2nfVX

Explore how to scale a high-volume surgical robotics program in an ambulatory environment to achieve strategic growth, financial viability and clinical innovation in the outpatient setting.

10/09/2026

When it’s time to advance your leadership journey, it’s time to earn your FACHE.

The FACHE® is healthcare management’s most trusted credential and the benchmark of leadership excellence. Become board certified in healthcare management as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Learn more about the FACHE credential and get started by visiting ache.org/FACHE

10/08/2026

What administrative tasks are pulling clinicians from patients—and how do you reduce them?

J. Corey Feist, JD, MBA, and Tim Fischer outline steps leaders can take: ask staff what slows care, target EHR inefficiencies and prior authorization pain points, streamline workflows with process improvement teams, and measure impacts on time at bedside and retention to drive quick wins.

Listen to Healthcare Executive podcast wherever you get podcasts.

Thank you to Jackson Healthcare, an ACHE Premier Corporate Partner, for making this podcast possible.

10/06/2026

AI is here and has been for some time.

Yet with the rapid proliferation of uses, we must ask ourselves whether we have thoughtfully prepared for its full impact, both positive and potentially negative, on patients, teams, operations and the delivery of care.

Many organizations have initiated management- or governance-level committees to guide the introduction and use of AI in their work. Subject matter experts from medical informatics and technology, clinical care delivery, finance and (at times) governance boards populate such groups. Their likely outputs include policies, operational/deployment strategies and purchase decisions.

People serving on these committees should be fully informed of their duties, and leaders may consider a prerequisite for participation that these individuals also educate themselves about the ethical issues and challenges of AI use in healthcare. Even better, it may be prudent to invite people into these forums who can provide ethics expertise so the impact of the policies, strategies and decisions reflect congruence with the organization’s mission and values.

Read the full article by Susan A. Reeves, EdD, RN, CENP, in this issue of Healthcare Executive magazine.

10/05/2026

What will the future cancer screening portfolio look like?

David Linz, MD, Chief Medical Informatics Officer for Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH), shares his insights on how health systems can prepare for an evolving cancer screening landscape by integrating established and emerging screening approaches with the data, digital engagement, and workflow infrastructure needed to expand access, close screening gaps, and support coordinated care.

Listen to the Healthcare Executive podcast wherever you get podcasts.

Thank you is now Abbot–an ACHE Premier Corporate Partner–for making this episode possible.

09/30/2026

Advice for the next generation of healthcare with Vamsee K. Potluri, FACHE, and Ashley Vertuno, FACHE.

Hear how mentorship, attending ACHE Congress on Healthcare Leadership and taking tough assignments shaped his leadership and contributed to his 2026 Robert S. Hudgens Memorial Award by the American College of Healthcare Executives.

🎧 Listen to the Healthcare Executive podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

09/29/2026

Imposter syndrome is a quiet disruptor.

It's characterized by persistent self-doubt and the fear of being exposed as a fraud, despite evident competence and accomplishments.

Recent research published in BMC Psychology analyzed the results of 30 studies on the subject and estimates that 62% of healthcare leaders experience imposter syndrome at some point in their careers. The hierarchical nature of healthcare and administration can amplify self-doubt, especially for those early in their careers, those transitioning into leadership or those from underrepresented backgrounds.

Although imposter syndrome is widely recognized, there is limited research about strategies to effectively manage and reduce its impact in professional environments. To help address this gap, we developed a practical framework called “Bring Your Own Chair.” Developed from candid conversations about professional growth, the BYOC Framework offers a structured approach to identify, navigate and overcome imposter syndrome while fostering more inclusive and supportive leadership cultures.

This work is grounded in the understanding that imposter syndrome is not a personal deficit but a response to systematic pressures. The framework supports people as they reclaim confidence in themselves, strengthen community at work and model inclusive leadership behaviors. The BYOC Framework is built around five actionable steps.

Read the full Healthcare Executive magazine article by Tiara Walz, PhD, FACHE, Lindsey Umlauf, FACHE, and Allison Ferro, PhD, FACHE, here: https://www.ache.org/Publishing/Periodicals/Healthcare-Executive-Magazine/Archive/2026/September-October/Bring-Your-Own-Chair