Hans Luttman, Account Executive, Gain Servicing
The 23rd Annual Becker’s Healthcare Spine, Ortho and PM Conference in Chicago was abuzz with camaraderie, forward thinking, and insightful quotes that hung in the air long after the sessions ended. As Benjamin Jarvis, CEO of OSCW, reminded attendees, “You can’t move forward without core values.” Spine surgeon Michael Verdon offered a more pragmatic challenge: “Hope is not a strategy.” And Dr. Anthony Maioriello captured the conference’s focus on efficiency with a simple analogy: “There are two ways to make a faster car. The expensive way is investing in a stronger engine. The less expensive way is to make it lighter.”
Those themes—culture, disciplined execution, and the pursuit of greater efficiency—surfaced repeatedly throughout the conference and framed many of the conversations healthcare leaders are having as they navigate a rapidly changing environment.
The event commences! Photo: Gain Servicing
1. Healthcare Is Running Out of Slack
Perhaps the clearest message from Becker’s was that healthcare systems are operating with less margin for error. Financial pressures are intensifying, administrative complexity continues to grow, and staffing challenges remain persistent. Surgeons, hospital leaders, ASC operators, private practices, and healthcare technology companies are all feeling the strain.
In that environment, Jarvis’s observation about core values resonated. Organizations cannot move forward without a clear sense of purpose and priorities. As resources tighten, culture and alignment become strategic assets rather than aspirational ideals.
2. AI Was Everywhere, but Execution Was the Real Conversation
Artificial intelligence touched nearly every operational discussion—revenue cycle management, denial prevention, documentation, scheduling, patient communication, analytics, and performance improvement.
Yet the most compelling stories were not about replacing people or chasing the latest technology. They were about practical solutions that help patients receive answers faster, reduce delays in care, lighten documentation burdens, and give clinicians more time to focus on medicine.
As Dr. Verdon put it, hope is not a strategy. Organizations are looking beyond promises and focusing on tools that deliver measurable improvements.
Networking at Beckers! Reid Zeising, CEO & Founder, Gain Servicing, Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears Tight End, Hans Luttman, Account Executive, Gain Servicing
3. ROI Begins With Solving Real Problems
One of the most interesting tensions throughout the conference centered on where return on investment should begin. Should healthcare organizations focus directly on financial performance, or does sustainable growth still start with better patient care?
Many leaders seemed to favor the latter. Better communication, improved access, reduced friction, and stronger outcomes ultimately produce better financial results. Profitability and patient experience are not competing priorities; they are deeply connected.
4. The Hardest Work Happens Between Visits
Many of healthcare’s biggest challenges occur outside the exam room. Scheduling, communication, documentation, records management, follow-up, and operational visibility all create complexity that clinicians and administrators must navigate daily.
Doctors and healthcare leaders are not simply treating patients. They are managing an increasingly complicated ecosystem. Success depends on reducing friction and creating systems that allow care teams to operate effectively while maintaining a high standard of patient experience.
Gain’s booth! Alina Feder, Brandon M. Tumber, and Hans Luttman.
5. The Winners Will Make Healthcare Lighter
Dr. Maioriello’s analogy about building a faster car captured one of the conference’s central ideas. Organizations do not necessarily need bigger engines. They need lighter systems.
The healthcare leaders who thrive in the years ahead will not simply add more tools or more layers of complexity. They will simplify operations, remove unnecessary burdens, and use technology to make care easier, faster, and more human.
Ultimately, the strongest message coming out of Becker’s was that operational excellence and patient-centered care are not opposing forces. The organizations that succeed will be those that remain anchored by their values, execute with discipline, and continuously remove friction—for patients, providers, and care teams alike.