Wendy Horton

Healthcare organizations face a growing challenge in maintaining strong leadership amid a dynamic clinical environment. As experienced clinicians and administrators retire or transition, the leadership gap can disrupt operations, affect patient outcomes, and weaken organizational culture. Developing the next generation of clinical leaders requires intentional strategies that prepare high-potential staff for future responsibilities. Succession planning provides a framework for identifying, nurturing, and transitioning emerging leaders, ensuring continuity and stability across healthcare systems. Effective succession planning goes beyond simply naming a replacement for an executive or department head. It involves cultivating leadership skills, fostering mentorship relationships, and creating opportunities for staff to gain hands-on experience. By investing in future leaders early, healthcare organizations can develop a pipeline of professionals capable of managing complex clinical, oper...

Academic medical centers (AMCs) occupy a unique and vital position in the healthcare ecosystem . They serve not only as hospitals but also as teaching institutions and research hubs. Balancing these missions while providing high-quality patient care creates both opportunities and challenges—especially when it comes to building sustainable service lines. As the healthcare landscape evolves and financial pressures mount, academic institutions must develop service lines that are clinically excellent, operationally efficient, financially viable, and aligned with education and research goals. Creating sustainability in this setting requires long-term planning, strategic investment, and a clear understanding of how to integrate diverse functions. Success lies in building service lines that are more than profitable—they must be resilient, adaptable, and mission-driven. Aligning Strategy with Mission and Market At the core of any sustainable service line is a strategy that aligns with both the...

Artificial intelligence is transforming adult service delivery, offering new ways to streamline operations, enhance decision-making, and reduce administrative workload. But understanding its actual return on investment (ROI) requires more than examining cost savings alone. Adult service providers must evaluate AI through a combination of efficiency, financial impact, and clinical quality to ensure its adoption supports both operational excellence and meaningful care. This broader view helps organizations avoid adopting technology that appears beneficial on paper but fails to strengthen real-world service outcomes. The complexity of adult services makes single-metric ROI assessments insufficient. Providers must consider how AI affects staff workload, patient experiences, clinical accuracy, and long-term sustainability. When organizations evaluate AI through multiple dimensions rather than just cost, they gain a clearer picture of its long-term value and impact on care delivery. This mu...