Transforming hospitals for the future
Healthcare systems around the world are facing a common challenge: how to meet growing demand for care while managing workforce shortages, financial pressures, and rapid technological change. These issues were the focus of an Association Leaders Circle discussion on 28 May 2026, featuring insights from Catherine de Bienassis, Health Policy Analyst at the OECD, and healthcare leaders from across multiple regions. While participants represented very different health systems, the conversation revealed similarities in the pressures they face and the solutions they are exploring.
Rethinking the role of hospitals
A central theme was the changing role of hospitals within the broader healthcare system. OECD countries are becoming more active in the actual planning of hospitals, meaning, in very simple terms, where do we put a hospital and what do we want it to do?
There are three shifts that are reshaping healthcare delivery: from independent institutions to integrated partners, from volume to value, and from beds to services. Participants agreed that future healthcare systems will rely less on expanding hospital capacity and more on strengthening collaboration across primary care, community services, and home-based care. As populations age and chronic conditions become more common, hospitals will increasingly need to focus on delivering specialized, high-value services as part of coordinated care networks.
Workforce and digital transformation
Workforce sustainability was one of the most urgent concerns. Many leaders noted that the challenge is no longer simply about funding, but about having enough people with the right skills to deliver care. Ageing populations are driving demand at the same time that many healthcare professionals are approaching retirement. Participants discussed the need for new workforce models, greater use of multidisciplinary teams, and smarter deployment of technology to support productivity.
The discussion also explored the opportunities and challenges of digital transformation. While healthcare organizations are generating vast amounts of data, many continue to struggle with interoperability, data quality, and system usability. Some participants emphasized that successful digital transformation depends not only on technology, but also on designing systems that support clinical workflows and improve the experience of both patients and healthcare professionals. Better use of data, stronger governance frameworks, and closer collaboration between clinicians and technology developers were identified as critical priorities for the years ahead.
A whole-system approach to transformation
The session concluded with a clear message: healthcare transformation requires a whole-system approach. Quality, outcomes, workforce planning, digital innovation, and integrated care can no longer be addressed in isolation. They must be considered as interconnected elements of a broader strategy for sustainable healthcare delivery. For hospital leaders and associations, moving forward will depend on collaboration, adaptability, and a shared commitment to delivering value for patients in an increasingly complex healthcare environment.
The discussion on this topic and similar ones will continue at this year’s World Hospital Congress in Seoul (20 to 22 October 2026).
