303: The hard truths behind the fight for commercial volumes

As health systems anticipate greater downward pressures on margins in the months and years to come, they’re homing their growth strategies accordingly. As we’ve been saying in our research the past couple of years, “sustainability” is now the name of the game. Here’s the conundrum: our research also shows that 90% of systems are betting on the same growth plays as their competition. And more and more, those bets converge on a common goal: win more commercial volumes. In this episode, host Abby Burns sits down with Advisory Board experts Shay Pratt and Emily Heuser to unpack the three main avenues health systems are exploring to win commercial volumes: ambulatory care, service lines, and direct-to-employer contracting. For each, they explore a “hard truth” and corresponding mindset shift leaders must face as they weigh what it will take to generate margin-accretive growth. We’re here to help: Ambulatory research | Ambulatory care Market trends research | Market trends and growth strategy Service line research | Service lines and specialty care Episode | 290: How data savvy strategic planners will define the next era of health system growth Playlist | Provider Strategy and Financial Outlook playlist Tool | Check out Advisory Board’s Market Scenario Planner and other Advisory Board analytics and data tools to inform your strategy for growth, cost control and more. Learn more about Advisory Board’s 2026 summit series. A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.