Three-day summit serves as platform for meaningful dialogue, peer connection & actionable insights
The 2026 Executive Advisory Summit was held in April at the Hotel Bennett in Charleston, South Carolina. The event brought together C-suite leaders from across the HealthTrust membership to collaborate on the most pressing challenges and opportunities shaping the healthcare landscape.
“The summit centered on real challenges our members are working to solve, and the need to come together as a community has never been greater,” said Ed Jones, President & CEO, HealthTrust. “In partnership with leading minds in healthcare, many of whom are our members, we discussed topics that challenge our thinking and help us lead with greater clarity as we work to drive meaningful progress in healthcare.”
The summit covered key themes and topics, including:
- Payer, employer and value-based care evolution. Aashish Shah, M.D., J.D., Senior Vice President & Chief Medical Officer at HealthTrust, hosted a panel featuring leaders from Lockton, CVS Aetna and Optum Health, including Shealynn Buck, M.D., and Neil Parikh, M.D. The discussion highlighted the rapidly shifting payer and employer landscape, with a focus on affordability, access and the increasing role of value-based care models.
- Healthcare policy and reform. Jeff Cohen, Senior Vice President of Government Relations at HCA Healthcare, moderated a panel with Alston & Bird policy experts JaneLucas and Jonathan Jagoda, examining the federal policy landscape, reimbursement pressures and the implications of upcoming elections. Panelists emphasized the need for providers to proactively navigate shifting payer dynamics and regulatory uncertainty as healthcare reform accelerates.
- State of the industry and strategic priorities. Rae Woods, Vice President at Advisory Board, delivered a data-driven overview of the healthcare landscape in 2026, highlighting the strategic decisions facing healthsystem leaders as they balance financial pressures, an eroding safety net, and evolving care and payment models. She offered strategies to make informed decisions and lead effectively in a changing environment.
- Workforce and leadership transformation. McKinsey & Company partners Blair Epstein and Robin Roark, M.D., led discussions on building high-performing leadership teams, aligning talent to organizational value and navigating executive transitions. Their session underscored the importance of culture, capability-building and strong leadership alignment in driving sustained performance.
- From AI to ROI. CEO & Founder of Deep 6 AI (a Tempus company) Wout Brusselaers, explored how healthcare organizations can move beyond AI hype to measurable value, emphasizing practical adoption strategies and return on investment.
Fostering strong partnerships
In addition to educational sessions, the summit emphasized the importance of collaboration and relationship-building across HealthTrust’s membership. Networking opportunities and shared experiences reinforced the organization’s commitment to fostering strong partnerships and collective problem-solving to promote knowledge sharing, innovation and best practices that improve patient care and promote better community outcomes.
Keep in touch with your HealthTrust Account Manager to learn about future events that are part of our commitment to convening healthcare leaders to promote knowledge sharing, innovation and best practices that can be used to improve clinical, financial and operational performance.
Share Email Healthcare Reform, Member Experience, Professional Leadership and Development, Q3 2026, Value-based Care
