Modern Healthcare Interviews Honest Health’s CEO and AHA’s President on the Pressures and Opportunities Facing Hospitals
Modern Healthcare’s Healthcare Insider recently brought together Rob Bessler, MD, CEO of Honest Health, and Rick Pollack, President and CEO of the American Hospital Association (AHA) for a timely conversation on how hospitals can navigate increasing financial pressures while preparing for the long-term shift to value-based care.
Hosted by Deputy Editor Maria Castellucci, the discussion explored what hospital leaders are facing today — and what it will take to succeed in models that reward quality, outcomes, and cost control.
Navigating Today’s Pressures
Hospitals continue to operate under difficult conditions: workforce shortages, rising operating costs, declining margins, and evolving expectations from payers and policymakers. Against this backdrop, both Bessler and Pollack underscored that value-based care is no longer optional.
“It’s not if hospitals participate — it’s ensuring they have the resources and support to do it well,” Bessler said.
Pollack emphasized the need for practical, sustainable pathways that accommodate the realities hospitals face every day.
Build or Partner? A Critical Decision for CEOs
The episode also addressed one of the biggest strategic debates in healthcare today: whether hospitals should build internal value-based care capabilities or partner with organizations specializing in enablement.
Pollack noted that the infrastructure demands — from data systems to care management to quality oversight — should not be underestimated.
Bessler added that decisions should be grounded in outcomes and feasibility:
“Leaders need models that reduce complexity, strengthen provider performance, and improve results.”
The Next Decade of Value-Based Care
Looking ahead, the two leaders outlined what successful value-based care could mean over the next years:
- Stronger alignment between hospitals and providers
- Sustainable margins supported by proactive care
- Better use of data to inform clinical decisions
- Care teams equipped with tools and support to improve outcomes
Their advice for hospital CEOs: start preparing now and build the capabilities — internally or through partners — that set the foundation for long-term performance.
For more information on Honest’s partnerships with hospitals and health systems, visit partnerwithhonest.com.