Healthcare operations, defined as the systems and processes that make healthcare organizations work so patients get the care they need, when they need it, are at a critical juncture in the U.S. The stress put on the healthcare industry by the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with macroeconomic pressures outside of our control, has exposed cracks in the system, driving clinician burnout, budget cuts, compliance challenges, and inequities. 

While the challenges are complex, there are steps the industry can take to improve healthcare operations in a way that will create impactful change. Together with KLAS and healthcare executives from 26 organizations, we have identified five areas of focus where every health system can improve healthcare operations to increase efficiency, improve margins, and lessen the administrative and operational burden on all healthcare workers so that they can focus on what they do best: providing patient care.