Healthcare M&A, Market Shifts, and Policy Trends to Watch in 2026 with Alan Condon & Laura Dyrda

In this episode,  Scott Becker outlines the eight biggest issues shaping U.S. healthcare as the industry heads into 2026, including physician shortages, rising costs, payer power, and more.

This episode recorded live at the 10th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Annual Meeting features Nabile M. Safdar, Chief AI Officer, Emory Healthcare. He discusses how Emory is leveraging AI across clinical, operational, and patient-facing applications, and shares strategies for governance, adoption, and safely integrating advanced AI tools into healthcare workflows.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features Amy Lee, MJ, MBA, MBHA, FACMPE, President and COO of Nantucket Cottage Hospital/Mass General Brigham. She discusses the unique challenges of delivering care on an island, from workforce housing to telehealth partnerships, and how innovation and community support sustain high-quality care in a remote setting.In collaboration with R1.

In this episode, Alan Condon, Editor in Chief, and Laura Dyrda, Vice President and Editor in Chief at Becker's Healthcare, discuss major healthcare stories shaping 2026, including hospital mergers and acquisitions, competitive market dynamics, and policy developments impacting rural and independent hospitals.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features James Heilsberg, CFO, Tri State Health. He discusses how his organization is using AI, automation, and strategic growth to strengthen care delivery, support clinicians, and sustain financial health in a rural community setting.In collaboration with R1.

In this episode, C.J. Marbley, Chief Nursing Officer at University Medical Center New Orleans and Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer at New Orleans East Hospital within LCMC Health, joins the podcast to reflect on how his organization responded to the New Year’s Eve terrorist attack at the start of 2025. He discusses efforts to expand access to care, initiatives focused on ensuring cancer patients receive the highest-quality treatment, and why staying grounded in the “why” of nursing is essential for resilience, leadership, and patient-centered care.

In this episode, Dr. Wael Barsoum, Professor of Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and President and Chief Transformation Officer at HopCo, shares insights from his career leading Cleveland Clinic Florida and growing HopCo into the largest musculoskeletal specialty group in the U.S., offering lessons on strategic leadership, innovation, and improving health care outcomes.

This episode, recorded live at the Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, features David Dunkle, CEO, Johnson Memorial Health. He discusses the financial challenges facing community hospitals, the struggle for fair reimbursement, and how strong culture and patient focus help sustain independent organizations in a difficult healthcare landscape.In collaboration with R1.

In this episode, Dr. Daniel del Portal, Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer at Temple Health, explains the vital role long-term acute care hospitals play in improving patient flow, supporting medically complex recoveries, and stabilizing hospital operations. He highlights how strong LTACH partnerships enhance outcomes, preserve inpatient capacity, and create smoother transitions across the continuum of care.This episode is sponsored by ScionHealth.

In this episode, Christopher Newman, President and CEO of Mary Washington Healthcare, discusses stepping into the CEO role, driving cultural transformation, and strengthening workforce pipelines amid rapid regional growth. He also shares priorities around academic partnerships, financial headwinds, and expanding access to higher level care in the community.