From the desk of the CEO
Our industry recently lost a brilliant mind and contributor. Michael Berryhill passed away on August 27, 2025, surrounded by loved ones, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Not only was this a profound loss for a family saying goodbye to a beloved husband, father, son and brother, but for me personally, it hit hard. My relationship with Michael transcended that of a trusted business partner—it also developed into a treasured friendship.
After meeting Michael in 2006, I walked away thinking what a great colleague and fit he would be at HealthTrust. When I transitioned from my role as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) to its President and CEO in 2012, Michael came to mind as the ideal candidate to serve as our next COO. In 2013, Michael and his family relocated from Texas to Tennessee and he joined our team. For more than 12 years, Michael was a presence of calm and reason as he shared both his wisdom and his expertise in operations, strategic sourcing and connecting people. I admired how he advocated for our members and for the people who reported to him. He lived our values and was a champion for culture as well as for HealthTrust’s committed business model.
The message echoed by each person who spoke at his celebration of life or who wrote a note on his online board was that Michael was a mentor and friend to many and he was known for always doing the right thing. He leaves behind an incredible legacy to all of those who were fortunate enough to share their personal life or a part of their professional life with him.
While the void left by Michael’s passing is significant, it is dwarfed by how much he contributed to all of us—both personally and professionally. Rest in peace, our brother.
Even greater resolve
On the heels of an amazing HealthTrust University Conference themed “GRIT”—Greater Resolve and Innovation for Tomorrow—we look forward to continuing to support our members in the most impactful way. Grit has been a part of HealthTrust’s DNA over the last 26 years as we have adapted, evolved, demonstrated resolve, embraced innovation and created the solutions that our members needed most to get through difficult times.
Our experience and past performance have sharpened our reflexes, strengthened our judgment and enabled us to expand our capabilities. In addition, the recent organizational changes outlined below enable us to flex, adapt and build best-in-class teams and programs to help our members meet the industry’s next wave of challenges.
Full-scale performance solutions
Effective September 1, we combined our portfolio of various analytics and consulting services into one unified Performance Solutions team that comprises Clinical Services, Clinical Data Solutions, Medical Device Management, Advisory Services, Special Operations and Logistics Solutions.
Reporting to HealthTrust’s Chief Medical Officer, Aashish Shah, M.D., JD, the Performance Solutions team continues and accelerates our commitment to providing differentiated services that complement our highly aligned, clinically focused model. Under Dr. Shah’s guidance, this unified team will help our members achieve even greater clinical alignment and performance.
Evolving to best meet providers’ needs
Connecting sourcing expertise with clinical excellence and operational insight is one of our key industry differentiators. As we continue building HealthTrust for “what’s next,” we will expand our capabilities to serve as a bridge between financial strategy and clinical reality—increasing understanding between physicians, supply chain teams and operators and aligning them on shared goals. The HealthTrust difference is we are even better positioned to innovate, evolve and align the organization with market demands and growth initiatives.
We look forward to navigating the complex healthcare landscape with even greater resolve and innovation for tomorrow. Thank you for your continued trust in us.
Ed Jones
President/CEO
HealthTrust Performance Group
Publisher, The Source magazine
Take your organization to the next level. Read more in Unlocking Value or contact your HealthTrust Account Manager to start the discussion.
Share Email Communications, Employee Engagement, Leadership, Management Best Practices, Q4 2025
