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The Strategist in Brief: September 11, 2025 · The Strategy Catalyst Dispatch

• 0:00
  This is the strategist in brief for September 11th, 2025 for this week's key market dive.
• 0:07
  The Strategy Catalyst team has distilled our favorite takeaways on health systems strategic planning based on a dozen member submitted plans and a lively webinar discussion in late August.
• 0:17
  Two thirds of the submitted plans highlighted service line expansion as a primary strategy for revenue growth and diversification with women's health, oncology, and cardiovascular care as the most frequently mentioned focus areas.
• 0:30
  While some systems are planning on shorter timeframes in response to policy risks and market shifts, other systems see the value in longer timeframes with more transformative goals.
• 0:41
  Culture is a top workforce priority, but investment in recruitment, retention and physician alignment is often more tangible and urgent.
• 0:49
  Some health systems are expanding into new markets and neighboring states to diversify their policy risks.
• 0:56
  Moving on to our market scan.
• 0:58
  Sycamore Partners closed its$10 billion acquisition of Walgreens and announced plans to split the retailer into five new independent companies.
• 1:07
  Retail primary care disruptors like Walgreens are posing less of a competitive threat to health systems than previously expected.
• 1:13
  Rival disruptors like CVS and UnitedHealth might find more success by leveraging the payer sides of their businesses.
• 1:20
  Cigna's new$3.5 billion investment in shields could complicate health systems, existing specialty pharmacy partnerships with a former Walgreens subsidiary.
• 1:31
  The post breakup companies will be more focused businesses.
• 1:34
  They will lack the potential for synergies with other parts of Walgreen's Former healthcare Empire.
• 1:39
  Debt from the leveraged buyout could also create new financial pressures.
• 1:44
  Moving on to other news.
• 1:46
  Hospital associations, home care providers and other provider groups are lobbying for their share of a new federal$50 billion rural health transformation fund.
• 1:56
  While the fund is ostensibly meant to offset the financial effects of Medicaid cuts for rural hospitals, some experts expect the program will be geared towards broader investments in rural.
• 2:05
  F presenting a united front.
• 2:07
  With home care operators and other rural providers could give health systems a more compelling pitch to state policy makers who often view larger health systems claims of financial distress with skepticism.
• 2:18
  That concludes this week's edition.
• 2:20
  Be sure to check out the full version on the web@hmacademy.com.
• 2:24
  Thanks for listening.